The Last Left Standing
by Rizu Neko-Chan
Summary: AU// Concerning Ichigo, who was cursed by the Sultan for attempted robbery, and was doomed to be his "guinea pig" for a love curse. Now she must battle these artificial feelings amidst secrets, betrayed trust, a coup, and rather obnoxious men. IxK,M,R
1. A Twist in Fate

(A.N./ Hey, readers! Who's ready for a cheesy love triangle romance? Hehe…that's a pretty accurate summary of the beginning of this story from a critical eye. Don't worry, what might seem like a cliché story with no plot develops farther as it goes along.

Don't kill me if it's not very good to begin with! It's my first time working with 1st person, so it may not be that good. I'm trying to improve my writing style, though, and make my description a little…_fluffier_. Know what I mean?

Also, the story may have some small similarities at the beginning to Disney's _Aladdin_. The story behind that is that, around when I was writing PcB, I was sidetracked watching Aladdin over my little sister's shoulder. I thought, _I wonder if anyone has made a Tokyo Mew Mew crossover with this? _I considered it briefly, but waved it off. I guess it came back to haunt me, though, because the Arabian setting sprung to mind once more when I just began LO! PAMM.

Anyway, I'm keeping you from the story (I tend to ramble on a lot...), so go ahead and begin reading my latest work! I hope you enjoy it!)

**--Extra Notes:**

**1. **This story is set in the area of southern Europe or the Middle east along the time when a lot of countries were simply "city-countries". There were extremely small countries with a primary city as a central,(or simply a city) which was ruled and protected by a King, or in this case, a Sultan. The country in here is MADE UP and may not be completely accurate with the culture at the time, since I couldn't seem to find a whole lot of info on the culture when I did some research.

**2. **This story **ends up in KxI, **with some nice shovelfuls of RxI and MxI in-between. Sorry, RxI fans, but you might not enjoy the whole of this one. I'm still very attached to KxI…

**3. **This entire story is in Ichigo's POV…just because I like it that way, and I think it provides a lot more depth on her part as you follow along the story.

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_'"Tis said of love that it sometimes goes, sometimes flies; runs with one, walks gravely with another; turns a third into ice, and sets a fourth in a flame: it wounds one, another it kills: like lightning it begins and ends in the same moment: it makes that fort yield at night which it besieged but in the morning; for there is no force able to resist it." _

_- Miguel de Cervantes _

_x_

Well, I can't say I saw it coming.

For one, I never thought that I would become so desperate for a life of comfort… at least, to go as far as to steal. Yes, _try._ Furthermore, I never thought that I would try to steal from the Sultan himself. Sure, he's a dirty, rich tyrant whom everyone hates, but that gives me no reason to go and steal from him-- especially since I knew in the back of my mind that I was going to get caught. It was throwing my life away, really. My life seemed practically useless anyway. I mean, living as a nomad on the streets isn't exactly the ideal career.

That makes it sound worse than it actually was. I had connections to a few people, and would occasionally make stops at them for food and whatnot when I got the chance. So, in reality, I was getting along.

Apparently, not well enough to satisfy my inner consciousness.

So here I was, running as fast as my skinny legs could carry me, clutching the small chest of gold that had previously been sitting on the top of the Sultan's desk in his office. How I had gotten to it I didn't know. I had just snuck in from the back, slipped around a few corners, avoided some guards, and marched right in. Granted, I had to pick a few doors, but it was too simple all the same. It goes to show how idiotic the palace guards really were. Rumors were that the Sultan would just hire anyone from anywhere as guard. I hate him with a passion, and I haven't even met him in person before.

Of course, the inner palace guards had nothing to do that day (like any day) and so an alarm of a thief running through the palace brought them to their feet-- all twenty-some of them. Soon I had a whole army of them charging behind me, gaining fast. Like I could do anything about it, though. I couldn't run any faster than I was when I was wearing the big, clunky boots I always wore around. I probably should have taken them off before I came, but it was too late now. They were the only pair of shoes for my feet, and I liked them anyway.

My breath easily grew short after sprinting as fast as I was, and I gave out to a slow jog, the guards overpowering me. They crawled all over me like a pack of excited dogs over a cat, tugging at my arms, yelling up a storm, and yanking the box out of my arms. Soon, I felt myself being dragged off by my arms. I heard one of them yell,

"Take her to the Sultan! He'll have something to say about this!"

It was at that moment that it really struck me: I could die. I could be executed that very day. Then my life would be gone. Over. Nothing more left. The very thought made me squirm, and I thrashed in the grip of the two guards with the hold on my arms, one to each arm.

"Let…me…GO!" I yelled in a futile attempt to struggle out.

One of them laughed, "Yeah, right! Just shut up and suck it up, lady!" I narrowed my eyes and sneered at the guard's foul attitude. Raising one of my chunky boots, I brought it down in a powerful swing to the back of his leg. He gave off a short howl of pain before jostling me in his grip.

"The hell was that? Try that again and I'll slit your throat!" he yelled. I growled in reply, but made no words of protest against his threat.

Within a minute or so, we had arrived at a large set of double doors. One of the guards, the one that I had kicked, threw me over to the second, who now gripped both of my arms. He smelled of rotting fish and sweat, much to my displeasure. The first guard opened one of the doors and went in.

I spied him getting on one knee, and heard, "Your Excellence, I beg your pardon, but we have caught a thief in the act of trying to rob the gold from your office. We hope that you can bring a proper judgment-"

"Yes, yes, bring him in," the Sultan spoke. His voice was as sharp and cold as ice. It sent shivers down my spine, and I was afraid.

As soon as the first guard had stood up from his kneel, I felt myself being pushed into the throne room. I fell forward onto my knees on the red, velvety carpet. I groaned wearily and lifted my head hesitantly.

The Sultan smirked down at me with narrowed, crystal-blue eyes. His long, black hair trailed to the bottom of his throne, where the hem of his blue, regal robe also ended. Despite his majestic appearance, he was still a stupid, cheating, dictator who couldn't run a city to save his life. That was my soild belief.

"So," he said to me in a mocking, indifferent sort of tone, "Why'd you do it?" I got up from the floor and stood to full height. I certainly wasn't bowing to _him_ any time soon.

"I had no chance at life, that's why!" I yelled, "And it's all your fault! You're the one who set up this terrible economic system!" He laughed icily, and I was getting more and more angry by the second.

"That's too bad," he said, "but you should try working harder in life instead of stealing from those who are better than you are." His words went right to my heart, and the angry pressure was building up inside me.

He continued, "You know what? You're interesting, though. Do you know what else? I am bored. You may be just my source of amusement." I groaned inwardly at all of the possibilities that sprang to my head. What was he going to do to me? Torture me slowly? Make me his slave? His personal dancer? Hell, I hope I don't have to dance, whatever it is. I can't dance for the life of me.

"What is your name?" he asked, leaning forward in his throne.

"Ichigo," I replied bluntly. He nodded, as if in thought, and raised his arms in the air. Soon, a small, white light shot across between his hands, and a pole grew out of the thin air. It curled into a small tip at the end, encrusted with a large gemstone.

Right, I forgot to mention that the only reason he's the Sultan in the first place is because he's a sorcerer-- the only one around for miles and miles. One day, about ten years ago, he marched into the city, and, with a tremendous display of power, declared himself Sultan. The city, who was previously ruled by an old, wrinkled man from the East, was quickly taken over. Within a year, he had built up his own army out of citizens from the city. That's the story on how his rule came to be. It's been that way for ten long years, and the city has only gotten more and more bitter about their ruler over the years.

The Sultan brought his staff into his hands. Examining the stone at the end, he said to me, "Brace yourself, Ichigo, this may hurt a bit." I gulped…hard. Clenching the palms of my hands, I bit my lip and waited. The Sultan extended his rod to me and called,

"_Mask of passion, arise from the dark_

_Assume the purpose for whom you were created_

_Curse your host for a mere seven days_

_And let no one know your secrets!" _

Once the words had been said, I felt an awful choking in my throat, like someone was trying to force their fist down it. I gagged and coughed, dropping to my knees on the floor. My hands felt my throat relentlessly as I continued to gag. I gathered all of the strength that I could and tried to force the pressure down my throat. It worked, and the object (whatever it was) seemed to dissolve right into my throat. I gasped for air once it was down. Breathing heavily, I tried to get a grip on myself as my head whirled.

_Mask of Passion? What was he talking about? It has to be some sort of spell… _I thought anxiously.

"Excellent," the Sultan said, "It worked. This should be interesting, hm?"

Between breaths, I panted, "…what…did you…do…to me?"

"Stupid girl," the Sultan said with a small sigh, "You're talking already. How about you just shut your mouth so I may explain?"

I really felt like arguing. Actually, I _really_ felt like slamming my fist into his face, but I shut my mouth and waited for the answers I was seeking. I wouldn't get anywhere by going against him. Besides, I knew he was just trying to get a reaction out of me anyway, kind of like an animal in a zoo. You coax it to come to the edge of the cage and then poke it to see what will happen.

He sat in thought for a moment or two, while I breathed slow, deep breaths. The soreness in my throat had worn off, and I finally felt able to talk.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off, "The spell I just cast was one I found in an old sorcerer's spell book I acquired the other day. The title caught my interest, and I quickly learned it. Think of yourself as my…guinea pig for this spell."

I rolled my eyes, "Get to the point, already! What'd you do?"

The Sultan laughed coldly.

"Impatient, hm? Alright, I'll explain. Basically, I just cast a love spell. Somewhere in this city are three men of your age, randomly chosen. All three are now affectionately attached to you whether they like it or not-- and you to them."

It took me a moment or two to register his words. A _love spell?_ Not only was that unbearably cliché-sounding, I wasn't the kind of person to run after love and grab it by the heels. In fact, I wasn't planning on falling in love at all.

I picture life as a dark road on a foggy night. Scary, but doable with careful steps and patience. Lots of people go with a companion or two down that path. But, as for me, I could do it alone. I didn't need a guide or someone to drag me down. I was a perfectly independent, strong person who could stick up for herself. So you can imagine how this came as a shock to me.

"Ah, I can see the shock on your face now. Never fear, I only set it for a week. It'll be over before you know it. You can also break it manually, you know. All you have to do is profess your love to the three, and it will all be over," the Sultan said.

I narrowed my eyes. It was too simple. There had to be some kind of catch.

As if on cue, the Sultan answered my mental question, "Another thing: the curse's basic properties state that you cannot tell anyone at all about the curse. Convenient, hm? Such a well-manufactured spell…" I straightened myself up from where I was standing. Turning on my heel, I was about to march out of the palace. I was done with this place, and sick of the Sultan's attitude and insulting remarks.

"Come back here," the Sultan called impatiently. I let out a sigh and turned around.

"What now?" I asked. I seemed to be very amusing to him, because he laughed…again. Again, with the analogy of the animal in the zoo…

"I want to show you something before you leave," he said. I crossed my arms and waited.

He outstretched his staff between his two hands and, muttering a few inaudible words, he drew it back to himself in a swift, sharp motion. Where his staff had once been, there was a line of words. He picked them up like some sort of fabric or cloth and held them in front of me.

"Can you read?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and read the words.

They were names of people. Three names…they must have been the names of the three men that were cursed along with me.

I read, "Masaya Aoyama…isn't that the prince?" the Sultan's eyebrows shot up, and he examined the words for himself before nodding.

"Yes…quite a coincidence…er, read the next one," he said awkwardly with a wave of his hand. Pleased that I had produced some kind of discomfort to him, I read the next name.

"Ryou Shiro-- oh, no, not him! I know him!"

The Sultan laughed, "Brilliant! That's wonderful!"

Ryou Shirogane, the marketplace chef, was one of my childhood friends, so to speak. We grew up together kind of like brother and sister in more ways then one. We fought with each other often and shared a lot of the same stuff. When I got lost from my parents one day, I stayed over with him and his parents for a while. After that, I pretty much fed off his food and lived by myself-- even at the young age I was. Sure, it sucked, but enough about my sap stories, Ryou was back then (and still was) a jerk, and suddenly loving him was no cakewalk.

I read the third name aloud, "Kisshu Takahiro…never heard of him."

"He's a wealthy nobleman that lives on the south side of the city. I've never met him myself," the Sultan explained slowly, tapping his chin, "but he's only famous because he inherited his dad's fame and fortune: the spoiled brat type." I had to agree with him; he did sound like he would be hard to get along with, even though I hadn't met him. I'd have to avoid that one.

Pulling back the line of names from me, he smashed them between his palms, where they disappeared instantly.

"You are dismissed," he said with a wry, amused smile. I gladly marched out of the throne room, thankful to have my dignity still intact…sort of.

It was only for a week, right? I could get through this stupid spell. Even better, I could just march up to the first one I run into and go, "I love you!" and they would be off the list. Somehow, I knew it wasn't going to be as easy as that, but it was worth a try.

A few moments later, I glanced behind me to see that two of the guards were still following me. I figured that the Sultan must have sent them, and only rolled my eyes and quickened my pace.

Soon, though, I realized that they had quickened theirs also. Panic began to rise inside me as I broke into a run. I turned my head to look behind me, and saw that I was losing them. They seemed to be giving up. Smiling in satisfaction, I turned back to the front just in time to crash into something…or someone.

Whatever it was, it gave a cry of, "Ah!" as a waterfall of various scrolls fell on top of us. A powerful, bubbly feeling overcame me when I breathed in his scent. It resembled lavender and fresh basil.

Little did I know that this was my first encounter. The story had been set into motion, and there was no stopping it now. It would change my life forever and for good.

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(A.N./ Crappy? Good? Say something! Go ahead and hit the little white-and-green button, because I appreciate and often reply to reviews, whether good or bad!)


	2. A Three way Street

(A.N./

**Narrator**: And here we are, folks, with the second installment of The Last Left Standing! The heat is building up as Ichigo struggles to uphold her beliefs of staying independent, but can she resist the charm of the three handsome young men that adore her? Find out in chapter two of The Last Left Standing!

**Rizu**: …that was really cheesy…)

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_To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia -- to mistake an ordinary young man for a Greek god or an ordinary young woman for a goddess. _

_- H. L. Mencken; Prejudices, 1919 _

When I first saw his eyes-- deep, and a rich, auburn brown in color, I only had one thing going through my mind:

He's _angelic._

Then a billion different thoughts began to crowd my mind. I tried to take in everything about him at once: his voice, his luscious eyes, his raven-black hair, his perfectly tan skin. It was all so flawless that it was almost inhuman. My stomach seemed to float up inside me and do a back flip on the spot.

I found myself stumbling over my words as I knelt to the floor, gathering up his dropped scrolls.

"I-I-I'm s-so terribly sorry! I should have watched where I was going!" I said in a nervous garble. With that, I remembered why I was running in the first place, and turned my head to the side to look behind me. The coast was clear, the guards gone. My attention was immediately averted back to the man from heaven, however, when I felt his fingertips brush against mine.

He murmured, "Don't worry; I should have watched where I was going too." With that, he began helping me pick up the scrolls. I kept my head lowered, and tried to calm myself down.

I suddenly reminded myself that all I needed to do was say, "I love you" and my relationship with him would be finished. Nevertheless, I didn't want the feeling to die. It was like a cake. You can't just take one bite; the rest has to be eaten as well, and savored until it was finished. As strong as the feeling was, I found it easy to avoid awkwardly saying those three words. The thought of it made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

I figured that I could coast my way through the week, and just keep in hiding on top of my new favorite rooftop that I've been staying on. Of course, there was the matter of food. Ryou usually provided me with meals and such, but I couldn't approach him like this…

_It's useless trying to avoid him while I have these emotions, _I thought, _so I might as well toughen up and deal with it. _

It would be harder than it sounded, as I soon discovered.

Once all of the scrolls had been collected, I bowed to him and apologized once more, "I'm incredibly sorry about this! I hope that you can forgive me, your highness!" The angel, also known as Prince Masaya, coked his head to one side, as I found extremely adorable,

"How do you know that I'm the prince?"

Oh, snap. I bit my lip and said, laughing nervously, "Um, well…I took a wild guess…"

He smiled warmly and asked, "What is your name?"

I put on a big, goofy-looking smile and replied, "Ichigo."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Ichigo…that's a nice name! I hope we meet again, Ichigo." I nodded and bowed in goodbye before we went our separate ways.

I was utterly giddy. That was the only word to describe the feeling that I could think of. I felt like I was on top of a cloud, or jumping over a rainbow, or soaring like a bird… Whatever it was, it left me absolutely overflowing with joy.

_Light as air, graceful as a swan, frivolous as a…um… _I was trying to think of different words for the feeling I had as I lightly stepped through the streets of the busy marketplace. Humming to myself, I barely noticed the obstruction in my path, who was yelling to the people, "Clear way! Big delivery coming through!" as he stumbled through the crowds. Unsurprisingly, I crashed right into him.

For the second time that day, I felt a waterfall foreign objects fall on top of my head as I made a vain attempt at shielding myself with my arms. When I peeped an eye open, though, I hastily felt the ground next to me and found that the missiles were…loaves of bread?

Looking ahead of me, I saw none other than Ryou Shirogane sitting in front of me, rubbing his head and muttering inaudible words to himself.

The first thing that crossed my mind was, "Has he _always_ looked this handsome?" I never noticed the crystal clear, beautiful sky-blue eyes he had. That, and his silky, golden hair that looked so soft and touchable. His skin was evenly toned, and toughened slightly from work at his job. All in all, he was the second angel I had met that day. Like my encounter with the first of his kind, I found myself speechless.

His eyes locked with mine, and he looked ready to yell. But then his face softened, and he looked deeply into my eyes, a perplexed look crossing his face. A quick spark in my mind reminded me that this was all new for him as well; he was feeling the same things as me.

He straightened up from where he was sitting and brushed himself off quickly. He offered a hand to me and said, lowering his head, "Um…sorry about that, Ichigo."

I bit my lip and stuttered, "Uh, no problem. I'm okay."

I took his hand and lifted myself up. As I dusted off my brown, tattered-looking cloak, my eyes fixed on his face. He seemed to be _blushing _slightly. That was certainly something new. I'd never seen Ryou blush, ever. Not out of embarrassment, not for the pretty girls that come to flirt with him at work, not for me, _never_. I was surprised, to say the least.

_The curse must have really hit him hard, _I thought to myself. I began to pick up one of the loaves of bread when he said, "Ah, don't touch those. I'll get it by myself, thanks. You can go."

"Are you sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded, still refusing to make eye contact. I bowed in goodbye and left, calling behind my shoulder, "I'll be seeing you later."

"Goodbye!" he called back merrily. Ryou wasn't usually the cheerful type, either. I sighed. He must have been entering the "giddy" stage by then. Prince Masaya seemed to handle the emotions better than Ryou did. At least, Masaya was more discreet about them than Ryou, who looked like he was going to burst at the seams.

All the same, it seemed as if all four of us who were infected with the curse would have problems throughout the week. I might as well have locked myself up in a cave or something, that way no one would feel any effects of the curse. Granted, they'd probably come looking for me anyway…

_There's no use around it, _I thought bitterly, _I'll just have to deal with this week of torture. Besides, it's only seven days; how much trouble could I get myself into?_

Little did I know how much trouble those seven days would really be. I just figured that I might as well enjoy the bubbly, warm feelings while they were there, so naïve to what could possibly happen in days to come.

Soon, after a few minutes of walking, I had come to my newly-favored rooftop looking over the city from the south. It had a fairly nice view, and it sat in a shady place under the side of a small cliff. The house itself was huge, and I wondered curiously what was inside. Climbing up a narrow ladder on the side, I soon worked myself to the dusty, large rooftop.

I let out a long sigh and sat down at the corner of the roof, hugging my knees close to me. It was beginning to become chilly, I could tell, but I had a sturdy, brown cloak to keep me relatively warm during the night. Of course, it had a few tears in it, but it was like my boots: it suited my needs and I liked it.

The sun was beginning to set over the orange and red horizon, disappearing over the edge of the earth. It was beautiful to watch, and I momentarily forgot all about everything around me. I let out a contended sigh.

My peace was quickly interrupted, however, by the sound of hurrying feet on the ground beneath me. It sounded like five or so men, from what I heard. I heard the sound of wood scraping against the building, and saw that the ladder (my way out) was being removed. I swung my legs back over the edge and scooted back from it, praying that they didn't see me. I soon discovered that the latter was true.

"There she is, boys! Bring me the pigeon that's nesting on my roof!"

When I heard the voice of a young male, my heart stared to pound with the sugary sensation that I had experienced thrice that day. I groaned when I realized that I was on the south side of the city.

_Nice to meet you too, Kisshu Takahiro, _I thought sarcastically. This irony was killing me. This was going to be a pain.

I needed to think of something to do-- immediately.

_Should I try to run? Hide? Should I just surrender immediately? _I thought anxiously. When I heard clamoring from a corner of the rooftop, I turned my head to see a cleverly hidden trap door-- probably hiding a stairway from the inside. The guards were trying to come up through there. I stood up and backed off in the opposite direction, looking frantically from side to side.

_What to do, what to do, what to do?! _I couldn't run off of the building, even though I could jump quite a ways and balance pretty easily. It would be a suicidal jump unless I could find another platform to jump onto. I scampered over to one side of the roof and peered down. There, on the side of the giant house, was a row of windowsills looking over the dusty alleyway between houses. It was my way down.

Carefully, I lowered myself down onto one of the windowsills. I maintained my balance as well as I could and swung down to the next windowsill, balancing precariously on that one.

By this time, some of the guards overhead were calling to themselves, yelling, "Come take a look at this!" and "She's like a little cat!" I sniffed and continued descending the windowsills. However, by the time I reached the bottom, I found an ambush of guards waiting for me around the corner. Not palace guards, though. These ones looked a little more common and rough, though they carried leather clothing and spears.

I immediately felt myself being overcome with guards for the second time that day. At least these ones smelled a bit more pleasant then the last ones. All the same, I struggled and kicked furiously in their grasp, trying to loosen their hold on me.

Once they had me in a nice, firm knot between their hands, I heard one of them call, "We've got her, Sir!" I lifted my head from the ground to get a good look at the figure walking casually around the corner.

The first thing that caught me were his eyes. There was no way you could miss them; they were so bright: the brightest golden hue I had ever seen. They reminded me of the sunset that I had just been watching minutes earlier. His hair was an oddly-colored, dark forest-green, gathered at two tufts on the side of his face. Unlike the other two boys, his skin wasn't the usual tan. It looked exotic, the way it was so silky-looking and ivory in color. For the third time that day, my breath was knocked completely out of me at a man's appearance.

"Hm, hm…" he mused, approaching me with slow steps, "What have we here?"

It was funny how my third angel didn't react like the other two. He only seemed to show mild curiosity…at least, at first.

Once he was close to me, he ordered the guards to release me. They let go of their grips, and I braced my weight by resting with my hands on my knees. Kisshu traveled around me in a circle, appearing to be examining me like I was some kind of camel to buy or a slave to trade. Once all of my muscles were rested, I lifted myself from my bent-over position and righted myself upwards. Once I did, however, I found that Kisshu's face was dangerously close to mine. My face grew hot, and took a step back, only to have him pull me forward.

Before my mind really registered what was happening, I felt his warm lips press against mine. It took me a few moments to process what was happening, then my heart began to pound, my mind race, and my senses grow numb. It felt…so _wonderful, _and I was momentarily hypnotized. However, my senses snapped back into place a second or two later.

What the hell was I _doing?_ I didn't even know this guy, yet he's _kissing _me!

In rebellion to his sudden action, I lifted my arms up and shoved him off of me with a mighty push. He stumbled back a step or two before laughing to himself.

"A feisty kitty, hm?" he remarked, smirking, "You're so pretty…"

Another wave of heat hit me. The logic that still prevailed inside me, however, was screaming at me, saying, _This guy is a maniac! What's gong through his messed-up head to make him kiss some random girl? _On the other hand, I was reminded that he was feeling the effects of the curse as well. Yet he was reacting much more harshly to it than the other two.

Making sure to stare at the ground when I talked, I growled, "What was that for, jerk? You don't just walk right up to people and kiss them!" The guards behind me shifted their weight and whispered, evidently debating amongst themselves whether they should try to restrain me or not. They were probably a bit confused at their commander's behavior. That, or maybe they were used to him going up to random people and kissing them; I didn't know.

I was still keeping my head lowered, trying not to make eye contact with his shimmering golden eyes. I would get lost in them if I looked up, and I wanted to stand my ground this time. I was the independent woman, remember? Nothing was going to drag me down. Or, so I thought.

I soon felt his cold fingertips under my chin as he lifted my head up. I kept my eyes closed, though, and let out a low sigh.

"Could you look at me and repeat that again?" he asked in a velvety, soft voice. I really didn't have much of a choice at this point, so I opened my eyes.

Suspicions confirmed: I was totally lost in a sea of gold.

_He must have secret hypnotizing rays in his eyes, _I thought idly. I stammered out my meek impression of my previous demand, still trying to get a hold on myself.

"I…I said…I said that you shouldn't just go around…kissing people." There. I had said it all and still kept my cool. I managed a weak frown and added, "Oh, yeah…and I called you a jerk."

Kisshu's smirk broke out into a grin before he began to laugh. His laughter was piercing and sharp, ringing out in short, small intervals. He released his grip on me and rubbed one eye.

"May I ask your name, fair maiden?" he said, a bit of wry humor in his voice. I sniffed, lowering my eyes once more.

"Ichigo."

"Alright," he said wearily, "would you care to stay in my mansion tonight, Ichigo? It's too cold out here for a girl--"

I immediately responded with a "No," and turned around to climb back up the windowsills. I found a wall of guards blocking my way, though, and I stopped short.

"Please?" Kisshu inquired in a small, pleading voice.

"I said no…just leave me alone, alright?" I groaned.

After a few moments of silence, he answered, "…fine. Just promise me that you'll stick around on the rooftop for longer, then." Relieved that he was letting me have my way, I agreed.

"Thank you, Sir," I said. The guards moved out of my way as I passed through. I began my ascent up the windowsills, but, when my hand reached the second sill to grab it, I heard him yell after me,

"By the way, Kitty, it's Kisshu!"

I rolled my eyes discreetly. This was going to be one hell of a week.

(A.N./

**Narrator**: You said it, Ichigo! I wonder what will happen next, in--

**Rizu**: -hits Narrator over the head with a stuffed cat-

I've got news! Brace yourselves-- geek moment: I'm going to the Sakura-con 2009! It's a super-awesome anime convention in Seattle, Washington. I'm even more excited because my sister is going with me, and she's going to be cosplaying as Mew Ichigo in the costume I worked so hard on! Yay for sewing! xD Okay, I'm finished now.

Reviews are awesome, people! Make 'em!)


	3. A Meeting of Friends

(A.N./

**Narrator**: Welcome back to The Last Left Standing! In this chapter, we find out how Ichigo is going to survive with the terrible curse upon her. Will she play it safe and stay away from the three boys? Or will she fall into their trap? Read and find out!

**Rizu**: I may some of that heading part of the summary, actually…

**Narrator**: So I accomplished something useful?

**Rizu**: No. You're still annoying.)

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__

Friends are relatives you make for yourself.

- Eustache Deschamps

-

It was September 24th on a cool fall evening. Small wisps of dust blew across the streets and buildings. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, shining in brilliant hues of orange and gold. The people of the city were just beginning to stir from their beds and begin their day. However, I was not one of them.

I was fast asleep on the rooftop of the stately home's rooftop, wheezing little sleepy breaths at long intervals. My peaceful, calming sleep wouldn't be one to last for long, however.

"Ichigo, na no da! I've finally found you, na no da!" a shrill voice rang. Soon, I felt myself being tackled by a hyperactive, blonde little girl. My eyelids flew open, and I sleepily pushed the annoying little girl off. That was not my ideal way to start my day.

"Get off, Pudding," I said with a hint of irritation, "I'm sleeping…" With that, I turned over on my side in an attempt to ignore her. Maybe she would lose interest.

Pudding was not happy, and her pouting face showed it. She reached down to me and shook me harshly as I jostled around.

"Come on! Get up, sleepyhead, na no da!" I, seeing that I wasn't about to win this fight, gave up and sat upright. I stretched my arms and yawned sleepily.

"Good morning, na no da!" Pudding greeted, "How did you sleep?"

I smacked my lips before replying, "Ah…okay, I guess…" Pudding smiled cheerfully.

"Good, na no da!" she said, "You have no idea how long I've been looking around for you, na no da! This city is so big, na no da!"

"No kidding," I mumbled with a yawn, "That's why it's got its own separate Sultan…" Pudding's face changed to a frown.

"I don't like the Sultan, na no da. He's a scary man, na no da." she stated. This brought back all of the events of the previous day to my mind. I held my head in my hands and sighed, long and hard. To think I had almost forgotten that my life was currently in a wreck.

"What's the matter, na no da?" Pudding asked curiously.

"Well, the Sultan--" I found that my mouth was clamped shut when I tried to say "punished me". I opened it again, only to find it clamp shut at the thought process of the words "cursed". It was the stupid side effects of the curse. I mentally cursed to myself. Pudding stared at me strangely.

"Is something wrong, na no da?" she asked. I shook my head and smiled wearily.

"No, nothing. I don't like him either." Pudding's smile returned, and she sat down criss-cross in front of me.

"What do you want to do today, na no da?" she asked curiously. I thought for a moment. What could I do? I could probably make it around town without running into any of my three boys. I would be safe to wander, I decided. It would take a pretty big coincidence to meet up with them.

"I don't know…" I said unenthusiastically.

By the way, Pudding was one of my close cousins whom I had been in touch with for quite some time-- ever since she was a baby, I believe. She kind of grew up to be the weird one in the family, but I liked her that way. She was a great friend to me…sometimes. Sometimes she would just be like a fly buzzing around your head, like she was now.

"Well, na no da," Pudding started after a few moments of thinking, "We could go down to the eastern market and--"

Pudding was interrupted by the trap door on one side of the roof swinging open, and none other than Kisshu raise himself out. I groaned.

"Hey, Kitty!" he called, "How did you sleep?" I swiveled around and hid my face in embarrassment. Of all times to pester me, why did he have to come when Pudding was over? This was not going to end well, and I knew it.

Pudding, however, was delighted with the new source of entertainment. She squealed, "Ichigo, who's this, na no da?! Are you two going out?!"

"No," I answered, followed by Kisshu's "Yes."

I narrowed my eyes and glared at the floor. Stupid Kisshu.

Pudding's smile began to grow wider. She took one look from me, to Kisshu, and back to me.

"What's your name, na no da?" she asked.

"Kisshu Takahiro," Kisshu replied.

"Alright, Kish, na no da," Pudding said cheerily, "My name is Pudding Fong, and you've picked a good girl to court, na no da! Ichigo's the best girl in the world, and she's single too, na no da! You two would go great in a pair, na no da!"

I buried my face farther into my knees, which I was now hugging close to me. This was embarrassing beyond belief. I felt like sinking into the floor or crawling into a hole to die. I love Pudding, honestly, but sometimes I wish I could just smack her upside the head. This was one of those times.

Kisshu, who was now wearing a bemused smirk, prodded further, "Go on."

Pudding, glad to get some new attention, said, "That's right! Not only is she super nice, she's really good at gymnastics, na no da! She's not quite as good as me, na no da, but she's still good at balancing and stuff, na no da! In addition to a good personality and talent, na no da, she's super pretty! She's got this nice red hair, pretty skin, and large, round eyes, na no da!" She paused and looked to me, who was considering jumping off the building at the time to spare myself from the embarrassment and exaggeration of my abilities and looks. She grinned and continued, "Check this out, na no da! Her ears light up red, na no da! That means she's really embarrassed, na no da!"

Kisshu snickered to himself and approached closer, sitting down on the other side of me. I screwed myself into a tighter ball as I felt his fingertips lightly brush the ends of my ears, mingling with a stray piece of red hair. His touch made the hair on the back of my head stand up.

"Hm…she is beautiful, Pudding," he said, twirling a strand of my red hair around his finger, "But she doesn't seem to listen to me. She doesn't like me at all, really, and I only met her yesterday. She wouldn't even let me invite her into the house to stay. It's really such a disappointment…" He let out a wistful sigh. I wasn't fooled. He was trying to win Pudding over on his side. Pudding was falling for it, too, from what I could tell.

"Aw, man, na no da," Pudding said, "I'm sure she'll give in sometime, though! Ichigo's kind of stubborn like that, na no da."

I began to consider how I would get escape the tortures of this situation. If I ran really fast and really suddenly, than I might have been able to scale down the side of the building via the windowsills. It would be my only hope, because I certainly wasn't going to go in through the trap door into the house. I was easily lost in large places, and I knew that Kisshu would trap me in there like a rabbit in a cage.

Once I had made my decision, I leapt up from where I was sitting and dashed over to the side of the building, Kisshu and Pudding both calling my name in surprise. I scurried down the windowsills, and, in my haste, I missed one sill and fell to the next, causing my ankle to become sore. I groaned and continued down, landing softly on my feet at the bottom. Before either Kisshu or Pudding could catch me, I was running off to the marketplace.

It wasn't until I had slowed down that I realized that running away from my problems probably wasn't the best solution. Now both Kisshu and Pudding would be mad at me when I returned. I would have to give explanations to both of them.

_What have I gotten myself into_, I thought woefully. Of course, what else was I supposed to do? Sit there and listen to Kisshu and Pudding discuss my relationship over my head? I was sure that I wouldn't have been able stand for it any longer than I had. Wallowing in my own self-pity, I continued half-limping on my ankle into the marketplace.

I considered stopping by Ryou's bakery when I heard my stomach groaning noisily. I gripped it lazily and sighed. I didn't have spare money, nor did I feel like stealing anything, so my options were limited as far as how to get food. It would be a risky operation, but if it was embarrassment-or-starve, then my choice was made. Ryou's bakery it was.

I gradually met with the crowds of the marketplace. The scent of fresh fish, herbs, and sweet incense filled my nostrils. Market shops were lined along the streets, all calling to their customers to attract attention. I kept my head lowered as I swam through the people, some carrying baskets or sacks and some leading animals or children with them. I glanced upward to spy the bakery, a small, stone building off to the side. It's door was wide open, and, as I approached closer, I could smell the sweet aroma of baked goods with a hint of cinnamon.

Before I could enter, however, I felt a hand grip my shoulder. Alarmed, I spun around to see a hooded figure who was panting profusely. He lifted his face, and I recognized him as Prince Masaya. I gasped lightly, my face heating up in an instant.

He smiled warmly and greeted, "Good morning, Ichigo. How are you?"

I pulled my big, stupid grin and said, "Fine, thanks." My face fell, though, and I said quietly, "What are you doing outside the palace?"

"I like to get out sometimes, get some fresh air" Masaya replied cheerfully, still wearing a smile, "I saw you walking by in the crowd and I've been trying to get your attention. It took me a while to catch up to you through these crazy morning crowds." He chucked to himself in good humor. His story made me embarrassed, though. He was trying to get my attention, and I didn't notice him? Was I really _that_ oblivious to everything around me? And to think, I made him run like that to catch up.

"Ah, I'm sorry," I said awkwardly and with a meek smile. So he took trips out of the palace? I honestly thought that the royal family was to remain inside the palace, but maybe I was wrong. I didn't think that Masaya would sneak out. He seemed too _perfect_ to do that sort of thing. The way he talked, looked, and acted was all so flawless that I wouldn't think that he would commit such a crime as to sneak out of the palace.

Masaya glanced at the sun, which was slowly climbing its way across the sky. He looked back to me and said casually, "Ichigo, may I ask you something?" I quickly nodded in reply. He said, "Would you care to schedule a date to meet in the palace gardens tonight? I'd love to have your company."

My head whirled as the thoughts processed through my head. A date? With the _prince_? It was all to good to be true. This was every girl's dream-- a date in the moonlit gardens of the palace, walking and talking with the prince himself…alone. And it was happening to _me _of all people. It made my face heat up, the curse momentarily forgotten.

I stuttered horribly while trying to reply, "Ah…er…um…I…" Masaya let out a small chuckle as his face stretched into a smile.

"Is that a yes?" he asked sweetly. I nodded slowly, thoroughly embarrassed with myself. Why did I always have to ruin the moment?

_He must think I'm some kind of ditsy idiot,_ I thought, ashamed at my clumsiness around him.

He chucked again and nodded, "It's alright, I know you're a bit flustered right now. Meet me at the palace gates tonight, right when the sun sets and the sky grows dark, okay?" I nodded once more, managing a small, tight-lipped smile. We bowed in goodbye, and went separate ways.

I called after him, "Goodbye!" He waved before disappearing into the crowd. I let out a contended sigh, wiping my brow and smiling to myself. Masaya was the perfect man, and there was no denying it. He was so unlike Ryou the Jerk and Kisshu the Nuisance.

"Ryou the Jerk" reminded me of Ryou, which reminded me of my hunger. My stomach growled to emphasize the point. A smile still etched onto my face, I strode through the open door of the bakery.

When I walked in, I noticed that the main room was empty. Instead of ringing the small bell on the desk reserved for customers who wanted to be served, I walked past the main desk and glided along to the back, quietly slipping underneath the straw curtain in the doorway to the kitchen.

As expected, Ryou, back to me, was quietly working away at an intricately-shaped cake with a flakey sort of texture. It was lined with juicy cherries and assorted fruit. Currently, he was coating a light brown syrup over the delicious-looking confection. I watched his work, spellbound with his delicate touch. He hummed a little music box-like tune to himself as he guided the small spreading tool. His determined face and hunched-over posture brought an old childhood experience back to life in my memory…

-

_It was a scorching fall afternoon, and the air around the muggy town seemed to weigh down on the people like a hot blanket with not so much as a wind. Seven-year-old Ryou Shirogane was slaving over a pile of fish, all of which needed to be completely de-boned before sunset. His father had left him for the job that day as homework. Ichigo, his six-year-old, so-called "friend", approached him cautiously and peered over his shoulder, asking, "What are you doing?"_

_"De-boning fish. Go away," Ryou replied bluntly._

_"Why?" asked Ichigo, rocking back and forth on her heels._

_"Because my dad said so," Ryou said, "Now go find something else to do, pest." Ichigo frowned._

_"Why are you doing it, then? Why doesn't your dad do it?" she asked._

_"My dad's busy," Ryou said, becoming quite irritated._

_"No he's not," Ichigo said in a sing-song voice, "He's out talking to some guy and drinking tea."_

_Ryou let out a long sigh and said, "He won't love me anymore if I don't do what he says."_

_"Sure he'll love you, stupid!" Ichigo said, surprised, "You've done bad stuff before, right? Your dad still loves you anyways, right? Right? Right? Come on, please play with me!"_

_"Just shoo, will you?" Ryou yelled, tearing himself away from his work to glare at Ichigo._

_Ichigo scowled back at him, saying in a choked voice, "Fine! Then I'll just play by myself!" She ran out of the bakery, her fists clenched at her side._

_Ryou rolled his eyes, muttering, "Weirdo…" and continued with his fish. He was completely oblivious to the little girl huddled around the corner of the bakery, crying over her harsh rejection from her friend._

-

I smiled to myself. In some ways, he was still the same, over-determined, emotionless jerk that he was back then. Feeling light in spirits, I quietly tip-toed over to his back until my face was mere inches from his ear. I yelled into it "_Boo_!"

Ryou let out a surprised yelp and stabbed his icing-spreading utensil into the cake, splitting it directly in half. He stared, horrified, at the cake before slamming his fist on the table. I took a step back, instantly regretting my actions. Ryou was scary when he was mad.

Ryou's angry eyes turned to me as he shouted, "What was that for? You didn't need to go and--" he stopped short when he locked eyes with mine and saw my terrified expression. I swallowed nervously and opened my mouth to apologize, but he cut me off with an apology of his own.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for. I shouldn't be so harsh. It was only…a cake. Just…a cake…" he said, his voice trailing off into the distance. The guilt I felt was horrendous. That had to be one of the stupidest things I had ever done, spoiling the cake. His soft, confused expression gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside that partially smothered the guilt. I smiled meekly.

"Apology accepted," I said quietly, "But It was really my fault. I was acting like a little kid." Ryou's mouth quirked into a little smile and he closed his eyes.

"Yeah…" he said, "I guess you were…do want to help me make another?"

"Another?" I asked, "Another what?"

"Another cake," Ryou said, "Since the last one is ruined now, I could use another pair of hands. Would that be okay with you?"

I nodded briskly, "Mhm! Yeah! That sounds good!" Helping him make another cake was just common courtesy, since I idiotically ruined his other one. It was the least I could do for him. Poor guy. He must have been a big ball of stress with running his job, and, on top of that, feeling weird feelings towards me.

Within a few minutes, I was dressed in a cook's apron, and was digging through a crate of cooking tools.

"The scraping tool," Ryou repeated, "It looks kind of like a knife."

"This?" I asked, pulling out a cheese cutter. Ryou rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead in obvious frustration. I frowned and dug my hand back into the drawer, pulling out the round, dough-slicing knife. Ryou shook his head.

Hours flew by in the kitchen with trying to re-make the cake. The whole day continued in a manner corespondent with Ryou giving orders for things for me to do, and me messing it up. It seemed like whatever I did always ended in disaster. I was a failure at cooking, and that was a fact. Whatever I did took forever to do, and it never came out right. I even confused the baking soda and the baking powder. That was me: absolutely hopeless.

Ryou stared at the oddly-colored batter inside the bowl. The lump of stuff was our third attempt at re-making the cake batter that day. It was as thick as clay, a grey-ish, mustard color, and had small, white chunks scattered here and there in it. He let out a long, hard sigh. I stared at the floor and scuffled my foot back and forth.

"Look," Ryou said after a long silence, "Maybe it's best if you don't help."

"That's a good idea," I said meekly, "Thanks for letting me help."

"You're welcome," said Ryou, "But I'm kicking you out now." I smiled and dipped my fingers in the jar of fluffy fruit crème he had sitting on the table before he could protest.

"Thank you!" I called over my shoulder as I exited the bakery and merged into the thinned crowds of the market. I took a lick off of one of my fingers as I walked among the people. My eyes brightened at the sweet, sugary sensation, a smile creeping up my face.

_Mm…strawberry. My favorite._

-

(A.N./

**Narrator: **My favorite too, Ichigo! Especially when dipped in dark chocolate!

**Rizu: **Pht, white chocolate with strawberries is so much better.

**Narrator: **But white chocolate isn't even real chocolate!

**Rizu: **It is too! Isn't it, readers? Right? RIGHT? Come on, tell me that white chocolate's real chocolate!

**Narrator: **It is TOO!

**Rizu**: Is NOT!)


	4. A Dismal Development

(A.N./

**Narrator**: Glad to have our wonderful audience here for chapter four! Thanks for sticking with us, everyone!

**Rizu**: Good Narrator. Good introduction. No cheesy introductions. Have a cookie.)

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_You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry. _

_- Unknown_

_---_

Not long after I exited the bakery did I realize how late it really was. I had been in Ryou's bakery, literally, all day. It already seemed to be getting dark. The crowds of the market were thinning, and a chilly, nighttime breeze swept across the city streets. I shivered. Tonight would be a cold one. I glanced up at the darkening sky, observing the first star shining out from the indigo blanket stretching over the horizon.

Realizing the sun wasn't in the sky, I suddenly remembered my date with Masaya. I was late! I was supposed to be there _now_. I would never make it all the way to the palace in time! Panic bubbled up from inside me as I broke out in a run for the direction of the palace, dodging lingering shoppers and civilians out for their evening walks. I mentally kicked myself for my clumsiness. No other girl would forget a date with the Prince. Any other girl would be there an hour or two early. But not me. I was too stupid and klutzy to remember a date with royalty. Only I would be so careless.

_Only me,_ I thought dismally.

Skidding around a corner and stubbing a toe in the process, I cursed to myself and tore down the road leading to the palace. I was losing the battle to keep my breath. The path seemed to stretch on forever in front of me, and I didn't seem to run fast enough. My lungs ached. Beads of cold sweat dripped down my face. It was torture, but, somehow, I kept running.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, I arrived at the steel, barred gates to the palace courtyard. Out of my experience of several robberies, I quickly stuck my hand through the gate and rattled the lock. It made a rusty "clank" before the gate creaked open to the luxurious gardens. Sighing in relief, I dashed in and began looking around.

It didn't take me long to spot Masaya, off to my right, examining a bush of late-blooming white roses, some of them brown at the tips. I took a deep breath and (as calmly as possible) strode over to where he was. I was a wreck of nerves, having a feeling that something would go wrong.

He didn't look up until I was a few feet away. His face was solemn, and he looked at me with slightly sorrowful, yet painfully empty eyes. They quickly reminded me of my lateness, and I bowed in apology.

"I'm extremely sorry that I'm so late! I was distracted and didn't notice the time and --"

"Ichigo."

He cut me off sharply so that I gasped at his sudden words. I bit my tongue and slowly lifted my head up. Masaya gently touched my face as I rose to full height. A spark of electricity shot through my body. I let out a long sigh through my nose. His touch was so gentle. It felt like farm feathers on my cool cheek.

The next thing I knew, Masaya had pulled me into an embrace. His arms wrapped around me and he pulled me close. It felt so warm compared to the cold night air. I tried my best to relax, and returned his gesture by awkwardly wrapping my arms around his back. It felt so great, just being there and hearing the beat of his heart as I lay against his chest. Somehow, though, I felt that something wasn't right. Masaya seemed sad, almost scared when I saw him. His hug was stiff. I began to wonder if I was doing something seriously wrong. Maybe he figured out that I live on the streets. Maybe we were breaking up already. Maybe he figured out about the curse. After all, his father _is _the Sultan. However, I doubted that the Sultan would tell his son of the curse and "ruin the fun", considering his character. I frowned on instinct at the thought of the Sultan.

"Ichigo…" Masaya's voice was hesitant, slow, as though he wasn't sure of his own words, "…I know this may seem a bit uncomfortable…" I bit the inside of my cheek. What was uncomfortable? Did I really smell that bad? Could he not date some average girl like me? I grew even more nervous at the thought.

"This may seem a bit fast," he continued in the same slow voice, "…but I'm feeling some very strong emotions toward you very suddenly, maybe the beginning of love. What are your feelings, Ichigo? Please tell me the truth." I was caught off guard by the question. Of course he was going to feel some very sudden emotions because of the curse, but I hadn't expected him to openly _tell_ me that!

How was I supposed to respond? If I said, "Me too; I love you." then I would break the curse and leave the relationship that I truly ached for behind. But if I said, "I don't feel anything" or leave a neutral answer, than the relationship would be dead anyway, because Masaya would take it that I don't like him in the way he likes me. It was a lose-lose situation. I struggled with what to answer.

_Maybe If I don't say the words "I love you" then the curse won't kick in_, I thought. It was my only solution, and it seemed like a valid loophole to me. I said a small, silent prayer to any god that would listen. Swallowing hard out of nervousness, I said with a deep breath, "Me too, Prince Masaya."

The sudden sensation that overwhelmed me was one of the worst of my life. My whole body felt weak, and I hunched over myself, slapping my hand over my mouth. I felt like vomiting, and think I would have if I hadn't endured for so long to try to keep my insides in. I clenched my eyes tight and tried to focus my energy on stopping the pain in my stomach. It felt like someone was inside me and was pushing my guts upwards toward my throat. Gradually, the sickening feeling faded from me and I could stand again.

But, when I looked up to Masaya, I saw his confused face looking at me. I knew something was wrong when I didn't feel the butterflies in my stomach. I didn't feel my body grow warm. I didn't notice his eyes like I did. He looked...off, different from what he had been. Something was terribly wrong.

_The curse! _I thought, _It must have taken effect! My love for Masaya disappeared! _

"Ichigo?" Masaya said, reaching out a hand to touch my shoulder. I turned, running off to the gates of the palace. I was running from my problems once again, but I had to get out of there before I had to explain. I had messed up the Prince's feelings for sure, in addition to mine. It was heartbreak. So early, too. I had only known him for such a short amount of time.

_I hate this! _I thought miserably, _This is why I stayed single in the first place! I didn't want this pain! _

I had just reached the mansion's rooftop and found the ladder replaced. I took no notice of it, though, and just scrambled up its bars and heaved myself over to the top of the building. I sat at the edge of the roof and hugged my knees close to me. The air was cold, colder than before. The breezes swept across my face and made me shiver. I tightened up in my ball and, to my own horror, I began to sob.

It was all my fault. It had only been two days, yet I had already delivered disaster to my first victim: the Prince himself. Yet I had gotten _three _innocent people into this mess. It didn't matter what I did now, I would end up breaking their hearts by the end of the week. Poor. Ryou. Poor Kisshu. There was no happy ending to this story, and it was my fault.

If I hadn't tried to steal from the palace, this whole thing wouldn't have happened. If I wasn't so stupid and hopeless, then I wouldn't be here in this mess. In fact, I probably would be back with Ryou, helping him close up and asking if I could spend the night. I couldn't show my face to him again, I decided. I would have to get a new rooftop to sleep on, too. I wouldn't want to run into Kisshu again. Even a pest like him doesn't deserve a broken heart.

My life was a mess, and I knew it.

_It can only go downhill_, I thought. I lifted my eyes to the edge of the building. I could end it all. Just by stepping off of the edge, it could all be over. My life was bad enough even before this all happened. It would just take a few steps.

A sudden gust of cold air blew me back to my senses. What was I thinking? Suicide? I must have been going insane for sure. Throwing yourself off of a building is about the stupidest thing you could do in life. I shivered in cold once more.

Suddenly I felt a warm something slide around my shoulders and onto by back. I looked up to see myself cloaked in a thick quilt-like blanket. As I suspected, Kisshu appeared beside me and sat down. He immediately began to prod into my business. I contemplated how I was to get away or ignore him.

"Hey, Ichigo, what's wrong? I saw the whole thing. I was just sitting out here waiting for you to come back and I see you clamoring up the ladder. You didn't even notice me because you were so upset!"

I chose not to answer. If you would ignore the source of annoyance, then it would go away if it wasn't getting a reaction. I only tightened the blanket around me.

_Please leave me alone_, I thought, _It's for your own good. Just go away…_

"Ichigo?" Kisshu said, nudging me on the shoulder, "Come on, talk to me about it! Telling someone makes you feel better, you know."

He didn't know that I was party crying over the kind of misery I would be inflicting on him. If only he knew. If only I could tell him everything. Then he would understand what I'm going through.

Kisshu let out a short sigh. The next thing I knew, he had wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I felt myself being pulled into him as he tightened his hold. I made no move to struggle, partly because I was too tired from crying, and partly because I _did_ want to talk about it. I wanted to say something to him, to make him get it. More than that, I wanted to scream to the world. But, for the moment, I wanted to talk. So I did.

"…Masaya…we…I…" I tried to choose my words carefully while fighting to keep my eyelids open. The sudden warmth had made me tired. I felt Kisshu's grip shift slightly.

"Masaya? As in, Prince Masaya?" he asked.

"…yes." I said wearily.

"Dirty bastard," Kisshu growled menacingly under his breath, "I knew he was up to no good."

"He…" I began, moving from under Kisshu's arm, "…he didn't do anything. It was my fault. I'm making him suffer. I'm the bastard." It was true, too. It wasn't his fault. My fault, all mine.

"You are not!" Kisshu insisted, pulling back into him, "He's been up to no good ever since he was deemed by the Sultan to be his heir. The Sultan has been feeding information into his tiny head, and he, as far as I know, is really messed up."

"No…" I said, "…he's really a nice guy. I'm just stupid." I yawned and stretched casually, squeezing out of Kisshu's grip. Truly, I was stupid to get myself into this kind of chaotic mess. However, I didn't think about what Kisshu's likely reaction would be before I told him that. Kisshu narrowed his eyes.

"Don't call yourself stupid. You aren't dumb, Ichigo. At least…" he scratched behind my ear like a cat, "…at least, as far as I know. Can you read?" I nodded wearily. I learned to read from my dad, who taught me in his spare time while he and I were running our shop back seven years ago.

"_It's a handy skill in merchandising!" _he would declare, proudly holding a headless fish like a beacon_, "and you'll be the smartest girl within a hundred mile's radius!"_

"If you can read," Kisshu said, bringing me back to reality, "then you're definitely not stupid. Do you know how many girls I've met that can read? Not very many. It's a high honor to be able to read as a female. You should be proud of yourself. I'd bet the Prince doesn't even _deserve_ a girl like you who is smart _and _pretty, huh, kitten?"

_Don't give into flattery, don't give into flattery_, I chanted to myself, _He's just trying to lure me into trusting him…_

"You're just trying to flatter me so that I'll trust you." I mumbled involuntarily, speaking my mind. Kisshu chuckled to himself.

"Alright, you caught me," he said with a mock sigh, "I am trying to make you like me more, kitten. I wish that I could spend more time with you, but you don't seem to like me too much. Not to say you're _not_ smart and pretty, because you certainly are. You just need to work on your self-esteem, that's all."

The idea struck me hard in the face. Self-esteem? Like, how I think of myself? I guessed he was right. Maybe I _was_ smart. Maybe I _was_ pretty, and just not admitting it? Had I really swam _that _deep in self-pity that I didn't even like myself anymore?

"Hey, Kitten," Kisshu remarked distantly after a few moment's silence, "I'd like to tell you something."

"Hm?" I murmured, laying my head down onto his shoulder. The warm, bubbly sensation overwhelmed my whole being. Sure, I didn't really like Kisshu that much, but I was tired, so that's why I put my head on his shoulder. It was a legitimate excuse, right?

"I have been dumped sixteen times and counting," Kisshu said. His tone made it sound like he was declaring his monthly wages or bragging of his luxurious living quarters. My head shot up in surprise at his declaration.

"Sixteen? You're joking!"

"No, no," Kisshu said with a laugh, "Sixteen. I'm too much of a sap to dump any girls, so they all dump me at one point or another."

"But why would--" I caught the question before it escaped my lips. _Why would anyone want to dump you?_

"…I be dumped so often?" Kisshu finished with a smirk. I nodded quickly. That was a safer question than the one in mind.

"A lot of the girls that I go out with are rather…promiscuous, jumping from man to man, never being satisfied. Some of the others are just out for my money. I personally caught my fifth going through my dresser drawer looking for my jewels…"

I scowled. How could some people act like that? How could someone be so _heartless_? Of course, I did steal from the Sultan, so I'm no better…

"I'm getting off track," said Kisshu, crossing his legs, "My point is that, at every break up, I threw a fit not unlike yours. One of my more recent ones left me in such a breakdown that I wouldn't eat or sleep for two straight days."

_Ladies' man, _I thought to myself, _He seems pretty wimpy when it comes to women. _

"Yet, at every breakup, I had to remind myself that it isn't the end of the world." Kisshu continued, staring into the sky with empty eyes, "There are other people out there that are _not_ that person. Even though that person may have been special to you, and you think 'Oh no, I'll never find anyone like them again!' you probably will. Maybe you just weren't meant to be with that person. Maybe Fate has something else planned for you that you don't know about..." His voice trailed off as though he was lost in his own words.

He still didn't get it, though. It wasn't so much the actual break-up; it was the ones I was tied to commit in the future. The more I thought about it, though, the more I wished that Masaya and my relationship had lasted longer. He was so kind and gentle to me, a real gentleman. Respectfully speaking, he was considerably wealthy as well. I would have been pretty well off as far as luxury goes if I was to have a serious relationship with the heir to the throne.

"I'm tired," I muttered.

"Come inside," Kisshu offered, "I could have a nice warm bed prepared for you--"

"No, thank you." I hastily objected. I still didn't trust Kisshu enough so I would stay in his house. A big, fluffy, warm bed sounded great though…

"Are you sure?" he prodded.

"Perfectly sure," I replied. I yawned and gathered up the quilt, laying it out on the ground in a sleeping-bag formation.

"I feel bad leaving you out here, though," Kisshu said as I crawled into my make-shift bed.

"I'll be fine," I replied casually. I pulled the top of the blanket over my cold body, "I'm used to this."

"If you say so…" Kisshu said doubtfully. He walked over to where I was, kneeled down, and gave me a little kiss on the forehead.

"G'night, Kitty." he said musically. I reached out a hand to slap him out of the way, but he was too quick on his feet and dodged my swipe.

"Goodnight to you, too." I muttered in a grouchy sort of tone. Kisshu chucked as he walked across the roof and crawled down the staircase, closing the trap door behind him with a "thud". I turned over in my sleep, scowling in embarrassment and frustration.

"Irritating pain in the neck…"

It was me against the world now. There was nowhere to turn, nowhere to hide. If I was going to make it through the week, I would fight through it with my fists up. No more trying to hide for Ichigo. My breakup with Masaya and Kisshu's advice together had taught me something: I was stronger than I thought. I was going to make an adventure out of this event, and I was going to come out alive. Maybe Fate had something planned for me that I didn't know about quite yet.

I smiled to myself as I dove into the world of dreams.

---

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Bah, I don't like this chapter. I'm not very good with writing angst-y stuff. I've been told several times that I'm much better with lighthearted comedy, so stories like this give me an opportunity to expand my horizon.

**Narrator**: What has fate got in store for Ichigo, exactly? What kind of new twists await her? Find out next chapter!

**Rizu**: [_ignoring Narrator_] Peace out! Reviews brighten my day!)


	5. A Demand for Freedom

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Fifth chapter already! This story is going quickly! Oh, and a heads-up to all of those who are following this fic: the outline that I'm going by is written for at least 22 chapters in the story, so I've got a long ways to go!

**Narrator**: A new twist in the plotline emerges when Ichigo has a chance to argue herself out of the curse-- or so she thinks. Will she only get herself into deeper trouble? Read to find out!

**Rizu**: -tosses Narrator a cookie- You're getting better at that. 'Cept for the "read to find out" part. People use that too much. That, and "I suck at summaries". If you suck at summaries, than have a friend write one for you, or think of another one later! Saying that you suck at them doesn't do your summary any justice or make people want to read your story.

**Narrator**: Amen to that!

**Rizu**: -tosses cookie to Narrator- Suck up.)

-_-_-

_Speak when you are angry--and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret._

_-__Laurence J. Peter_

-_-_-

"Hey Daddy, what does this say?" Ichigo asked, nodding towards a small, brown box lying on the table. Her father was loading crates into a wooden wagon. He stopped to look back and Ichigo, and then to the box. He chuckled and put the crates down.

"Sound it out!" he declared enthusiastically, "What sound do the letters make?"

"Hm…" Ichigo narrowed her eyes and studied it intently.

"See…"

"No," her father interrupted, "try again. I'll give you a hint: the first three ones make the sound 'Sell' like in, 'Sell the goods'."

"'kay." said Ichigo. She looked back to the box.

"Sell…er…ay. What's selleray?"

"Celery, Ichigo," her father said, "Possibly the most delicious and nutritious food on the planet! If we all ate a stalk of celery a day, we'd all be as strong as these here mules!" He slapped the behind of one of the mules that was tied to the support beams of the store. The mule let out a low groan.

"Dad!" Ichigo laughed, fidgeting with her dirty robes, "You're embarrassing!"

"What?" he asked, grinning, "It's true! And besides, that's not really what matters now, is it? You got that word all by yourself!"

"You helped, Dad." Ichigo cut in, eyebrow raised and smile spread in amusement.

"Only a little! You did everything else, my smart little girl! Why, I think I'll throw a party!" He turned and walked off into the house, calling, "Sakura, where'd we keep that old Russian brew? I think we have a reason to celebrate tonight!"

Sakura replied with a tired call of, "Don't we every night, dearest?"

-_-_-

I awoke in a tired daze, staring up at the clear, blue sky with squinting eyes. I strained to remember the dream I had. It was about my parents, I knew. A dull ache in my head forced my eyes back closed, and I turned over in my blanket. Sleeping in sounded awfully good…

The thing that awoke me, though, hit my nose as soon as I turned. It was the smell I so often smelt in Ryou's bakery-- fruit rolls. I sniffed again. Strawberry filling. I swallowed hard. I wanted to go to sleep, but…they were _strawberry-_filled. Who could resist?

With a lick of my lips, I sat up to look for the source of the smell. It was a woven basket lined with a cotton cloth. Pulling the cloth off of the top, I found a large assortment of the fruit pastries (as predicted) and assorted fruits and vegetables. My face brightened, and I soon forgot about my sore head, my dream of my parents, and my longing for sleep. As I picked up one of the rolls, preparing to dig in, I spotted a little note at the bottom of the basket. I bit into the roll and enjoyed the flavor as I picked up the note and squinted to read it. The handwriting was rather small and messy. I read it aloud in a whisper.

_Keep your head held high no matter what circumstances, little kitty._

_Enjoy your breakfast. I hope it's not too cold by the time you wake up. Has anyone ever told you how loud you_

"…snore?" I finished, spitting the words in embarrassment and disgust. How dare he comment on my snoring! Impudent bastard! I decided right there and then that I should knock him in the face sometime. It would serve him right. But what did he mean before with "Keep your head held high?" What was that supposed to mean?

I shrugged it off and put the note back in the basket, pulling out a brightly-colored orange. I frowned and quickly set the fruit back inside the basket. Oranges took too much effort to peel, and they always left your hands all sticky. At least, that was my opinion.

After I had finished mostly everything in the breakfast basket, I placed the basket next the trap door and took my leave down the ladder. I pulled my hood over my messy bed head, starting on my way into town. I was going to try and find Purin today and apologize for what happened yesterday. To think it was only yesterday that she came to visit! The past day seemed more like an entire week.

The streets of the market were already buzzing with the morning shoppers out to get the early-bird deals. I found myself precariously stepping through the crowds, listening for Purin's voice all the while.

_If I were Purin, where would I be performing at? _I thought to myself. I almost forgot to mention: Purin entertained on the streets for her work. As lowly as it sounded, she was really quite good at magic and acrobatic tricks. She earned a comfortable-sized income from her shows, too. She would most likely be in the most crowded place in the market to put on her shows. It seemed the most logical place to be, since more people meant more business. She would often scream into the busy crowds of the market, asking for volunteers to assist her in crazy stunts and tricks of all sorts.

I kept straining my ears, but heard nothing. Journeying farther and farther along the streets, I was just about to give up when a large crowd of similarly-dressed men caught my eye. I turned to look and was surprised to see that it was a group of the palace guard. Quickly and cautiously, I ducked down beside a butcher's stand in the shadow of the side of the shop. Peering out from around the side of it, I caught a few snippets of conversation.

"_Have you seen a girl about this tall with red hair and brown eyes? She usually wears a dirty, brown cloak that's two sizes too big…"_

I bit my lip. They were looking for me. I decided to call off my search for Purin and wondered what to do next. I couldn't go back to the rooftop; it was a fifteen-minute walk back, and the guards were sure to catch me by then. I estimated how long it would take to get to Ryou's place. Scanning the stone buildings to my side, I figured could make it to the bakery within about two minutes if I ran. It was my lucky day. The bakery was close by.

Suddenly, I heard, _"Yes, actually, I think I've seen her…"_ A man selling jewelry at a table scanned the crowd in front of him. I watched him to see what would happen. Suddenly, his eyes met mine. I tried to catch my breath. I could tell by his expression that he knew I was the one that the guards were looking for. I shook my head back and forth rapidly, widening my eyes in fear. His eyes slowly trailed back to the guard.

"She's right over there." he said uneasily, pointing his bony finger in my direction. My stomach caught in my throat.

"_Traitor," _I mouthed in his direction before I scrambled to my feet. I was too late, however. The guards spotted me.

"There she is!" one yelled. By that time, I had gotten a head start down a dusty alleyway. It was the long way to the bakery, but I figured I could lose them in the labyrinths of the winding streets and alleyways. My feet pounded hard against the packed dirt of the streets. "Clomp, clomp, clomp" went my shoes as I ran.

"Don't lose sight of her!" I heard one of the men behind me. I came out into a busy street and wove through a crowd, keeping my head ducked low in the mass of people.

_Thank goodness for busy mornings_, I thought to myself. I began to tire, however, and my legs began to grow weak. My eyes scanned the path ahead. Not twenty meters in front of me was the welcome, corner-side doorway of the market bakery. Casting a nervous glance at the guards far behind me, I made a running dash inside the building.

Ryou looked up from organizing a tray of sourdough in mild surprise. I heaved another breath or two before muttering, "Hide me!" Ryou must have thought I was crazy, because he raised a skeptical eyebrow before he motioned for me to come behind the counter. I did so and scrambled into the back of the bakery.

I leant against one of the far-corner's stone walls to catch my breath. Talk about exhaustion. I was dead beat. My ears picked up a hint of conversation from the front. I listened in intently.

"Have you seen a girl about this tall with red hair and a brown robe run by here?"

"Yes, sir, she ran past my window not a moment ago."

"Thank you, sir."

With scuffling of feet, what I recognized as a palace guard had left. Relief washed over me, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Oi, Ichigo," Ryou called from the front, stepping over to where I was standing, "What was that all about?" I let out a short sigh and tried to choose my words carefully. What would I say…? I didn't want Ryou to know _why _exactly I was afraid of the guards. He would probably go into a coma if he knew that I, the little innocent girl he grew up with, committed a federal crime and stole from the palace. Maybe he just wouldn't ask questions. I decided to take my chances.

"I was looking around in the market when some of the guards started chasing me for no reason. I got scared and started to run. It was the weirdest thing!" I laughed nervously. _That was a _terrible _delivery_, I congratulated myself, _Not even a chimpanzee would believe that moronic excuse!_

"You're fibbing," Ryou stated matter-of-factly. I let out a huff and straightened up.

"I've got to go," I said. I primly tried to make an official-looking stride of an exit, but ended up tripping over the base of an empty food rack.

"Woaaah!" I yelled as I fell towards the floor. However, I felt no impact. What I felt was a pressure on my stomach and Ryou's hot breath on my neck. It made me shiver…in a good way, of course. His strong arms were wrapped tightly around my waist, keeping me from hitting the ground. Just for that moment, I felt like staying there forever. To just be there with his arms around me and his face so close to my skin. We both quickly snapped out of the trace, though, and Ryou lifted me back up to my feet in a hurry.

"Look," he muttered, glaring down at his feet, "I know you did something to make the palace guards upset. Whatever you did, just promise me you won't get into too much trouble, okay? I don't want to be worrying about you all the time. You're like an…annoying little sister who always makes a mess."

I considered his interesting comparison. A little sister? Now that I thought about it, Ryou had always seemed like a big brother to me. With the mix-up of my feelings for him (all thanks to that idiotic Sultan) I almost saw him in a light I hadn't before. Like how he seemed more shy on the inside, even though he may seem cold and hard on the outside. Maybe some good would come out of this whole ordeal with Ryou. Maybe my affect on him would defrost his freezing, cold heart for good.

"Thanks for the save." I said, smiling weakly. Taking care to watch my feet, I ambled to the front of the store with him following close behind me. I didn't really know how close, though, until he stepped on my heel. I felt it in the worn-down heel of my boot.

"Ow!" I yelped, turning to him, "Why do you have to walk so close behind me? It's not like I'm going to trip over a crack in the floorboards and fall on my face! I'm not _that_ uncoordinated!"

"Well…" he said slowly, massaging the back of his neck and looking off into space.

"Erg! Fine! I'll go now." I growled. I pivoted on the toes of my boots and made my way out the door, watching my feet to make sure I didn't trip on anything. Now _that _would be ironic…and humiliating.

I cautiously looked around to my left, then to my right, and stepped out of the doorway and onto the packed dirt of the street. The guards seemed to be gone from what I could tell by crowd-scanning. I cautiously slipped back into the busy streets, making my way along whilst walking behind a tall man that was heading in a similar direction as I. I decided that I would take up Pudding-watching again. There was still the matter of apologizing to her about my sudden departure and abandonment of my friend…even if she was being a pest.

_You know what? _I thought, _It's not her fault anyway! It's that stupid Kisshu's fault! He stirred her up in the first place. Pudding wouldn't have responded like that if he hadn't decided to invade my privacy and…_

My train of thought left the station, however, when I thought about how (though in his very Kisshu-like way) Kisshu had helped me climb out of my misery after my incident with Masaya. He proved himself to maybe be the least bit mature. His words still echoed loud and clear in my head.

"_Maybe Fate has something else planned for you that you don't know about…"_

I shook him out of my head. Interesting speech or no interesting speech, he was still Kisshu: the annoying pain-in-the-neck that called me his Kitty and was practically forcing me into his house.

_You know what? _I thought idly, _After this whole curse thing is gone and done for, it'll really make my day when I don't have to put up with Kisshu anymore. In fact, that will probably the best thing about it! Not having to listen to him anymore! Not having to see him, talk to him…_

Somehow, I wasn't convincing myself.

While I was busy arguing with myself, I didn't even notice that someone was sneaking up behind me until I felt a rough hand on my shoulder. I jumped in surprise and whirled around to come face-to-face with what looked like a not-so-happy palace guard. The rest of the people cleared out from around me to watch the show.

In my panic, I turned to take off in the opposite direction when he pulled me back by the neck of my cloak.

"Wait on a second, lady," he said gruffly, "I'm not going to kill you or anything. The Sultan just wants to see you at the palace. I'm just here to retrieve you."

The Sultan wanted me? For what? I was just his little guinea pig he set free after he experimented on me. _Still, I might be able to give him a piece of my mind about the curse_, I thought. I mean, my love life was completely blown by now. I had the right to vent. So, I decided, I would go with them. Not like I had a choice, anyway.

"Fine," I said grudgingly, "but could you please let go of me?" The guard released my cloak with a light shove and motioned for me to follow him. I willingly did, arms folded, slumped behind him and two other guards that accompanied him. He turned through a few side-streets as well as some busy ones, earning the attention of plenty of the pedestrians. I kept my head ducked low so that I wouldn't be recognized. This was embarrassing.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, we reached the eastern palace gates. One of the guards unlocked them and pushed one open. I stepped into the courtyard after them cautiously, sending paranoid glances in either direction of me. I was just waiting for something bad to happen, like one of them would tackle me to the ground or whip out a sword and try slashing at me with it. I guess I was just being too suspicious about the whole situation. I tried taking a deep breath to relax as I walked into the doors of the palace.

After more silent walking, we finally arrived at the doors to the throne room. Gathering up my courage, I ran through what I would say to the Sultan. I wanted to make him take it all back, the whole curse-- or make him feel a tiny bit sorry for me, at least.

One of the guards from behind me pushed open one of the massive doors to the throne room. I marched inside, shoulders arched, and stood, planting my feet in front of the throne. The Sultan, who was occupying the throne as usual, casually leaned his face on the palm of one of his hands, his elbow propped up on the arm of the throne. He raised his eyebrow at me and sat up higher in his throne. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off immediately.

"I demand you take this curse off of me, now!" I yelled, jabbing a finger at him, "Do you have any idea how much suffering I've gone through these past days? My life is pretty much ruined right now, and it's _all your fault_! My best friend thinks I'm crazy, the Prince thinks I'm an emotional wreck, which I _am,_ and I've earned myself a stalker! The worst thing about it is that, after this week is over, they'll _still _think the same things about me, if not worse!"

"Says who?" the Sultan cut in. His face shone with amusement and curiosity, "What if the curse brainwashes the people after it's taken its toll? What if it makes them forget? Even if it didn't, I'm sure this story will have an interesting ending."

Story? Who did he think he was, the master of the universe? I wasn't just a little story character that he could play around with! This was _serious_!

"I'm not your little puppet!" I hissed, "I have a life, you know! It's falling to pieces right now, if you haven't already gotten that through your thick skull! Take. The. Curse. Off. NOW!"

"You know what I heard from my son the other day?" the Sultan remarked. He slouched in his throne and examined his fingernails. He was pretending to ignore me. The nerve! "He said that, when he had asked this _wonderful _girl on a date the other day, she had purposefully took off during it. He wondered if she was sick or something, because it looked like she threw up. He went looking for you, but I guess he couldn't find you."

I narrowed my eyes. I had almost forgotten that Masaya had direct connections to the Sultan as his father. I remembered what Kisshu had told me about the Sultan feeding information into Masaya, since he was his heir. If that was true, than the Sultan could be able squeeze information out of him like the juice out of a fruit. In that case, whatever Masaya did, the Sultan was sure to know.

"Funny he was dating, though," the Sultan continued with a smug smile, "since he is engaged and all."

"Wh-what?" I exclaimed with wide eyes. _Engaged? _Why WAS he dating me, then, if he was happily getting married? I didn't want to consider he was cheating, because that just wasn't him! Why would he do that to his fiancé? Sure, he was (unnaturally) in love with me, but, even so, why would he do that to _me_?

"Yes, indeed, he is engaged," the Sultan continued. I could see it in his eyes that he was thoroughly enjoying this, "He is engaged to the princess of a small, wealthy country in the southeast. She is very lovely, and has the affluence of twice the country's gold."

The Sultan's words, if true, told me one thing: he deserves her. He deserves better than the girl who lives on the streets and doesn't have a real home to go to. He deserves the rich, pretty princess from another kingdom. I bit the inside of my mouth to stop my jealousy from leaking out in sobs. Pathetic…I was acting pathetic.

"Well then give them my blessings," I growled between my teeth. I turned on my heel to march out of the throne room. I was finished here. I totally forgot the curse because of my misery over Masaya's engagement and his relationship with me…which I still didn't understand completely.

"If you really need to leave, then I guess you are dismissed," the Sultan said. As I marched to the end of the aisle, though, I heard a sound from behind me that sounded like a firework. The sound grew closer until it was directly over me. I scrambled forward to avoid whatever it was, but I only felt myself being pulled backwards by an invisible force. The Sultan was using his magic to do something to me, I figured. Maybe releasing the curse from me? My hopes were abolished, though, when I felt like I was getting the air knocked out of me. The last thing I saw before my eyes closed was the floor of the throne room disappearing overhead. I had fallen through what looked like a giant, black hole in the floor.

_Splendid._

-_-_-

(A.N./

**Narrator**: Where has Ichigo gone now? Find out next chapter!

**Rizu**: Humongo chapter this time! Oh, and reviews brighten my day!)


	6. A Secret Operation

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Here I am again, folks, with a faster-than-usual update! I hope you guys like it! Actually, to tell the truth...I know this sounds greedy, but I wish this story was a bit more popular than it is. Am I doing something wrong? So far, this thing still has less hits than my oneshot, Stalker. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough with this...

**Narrator**: Or maybe you're just pessimistic.

**Rizu**: Enough of my ranting, though. Enjoy the chapter, everyone! ^_^)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Men are like a fine wine. They start out like grapes, and it's our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark  
until they mature into something you'd like to have dinner with. _

_- Kathleen Mifsud_

-x-x-x-

"_Where'd she come from?" _

"_I don't know. I found her slumped up against the wall in the hallway."_

"_A homeless person?"_

"_But one who walks into someone's house uninvited?"_

"_They've been getting rather hostile lately…"_

I heard the cloudy buzz of voices around me, the majority of them being female. They were all talking about me and considering what I might be. I wondered whether to open my eyes or not. Then I remembered what had just happened moments before. The Sultan did this! He put me in a strange house! The jerk!

"_Maybe we should try splashing water on her face?"_

Okay, that was my cue to open my eyes.

"Erg…" I groaned. All of the voices around me immediately went quiet as I sat up. I rubbed my face and asked wearily, "Where am I?"

"First, who are you?"

I looked around me to find dozens of similarly-dressed people. About twenty of the thirty or so that were there were female, though. Judging by their dress, I thought of them to be servants. So I was in a rich guy's house. Great. Just great.

"Er…my name's Ichigo. Sorry, but I kind of got put in this house against my will. It's a long story." No one was paying any attention to my last words, though. All of the maids seemed to look at each other and squirm when I said my name. Was my name some kind of curse word or something? Maybe someone they knew was also named Ichigo. I hoped that I wouldn't be mistaken for someone else.

"Fetch Commander Taruto at once!" one of the butlers commanded. Was that the master of the house, I wondered. A small group of maids scurried off out a doorway to the right. Meanwhile, I looked around at the group of people around me, who were mostly staring at me with perplexed looks. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable, being stared down by all of these people.

"Um," I said hesitantly, fidgeting with my fingers, "Could I know where I am? I can just leave if I'm causing you trouble."

"No, please stay," one of the maids said, "We'd just like to ask you a few questions. Please wait for Commander Taruto." I nodded, biting my lip.

After a few more moments of awkward silence, the group of maids came back with what looked like a small child. He only looked to be a few years younger than me. He couldn't have been the _commander_, no less the master of the house! Dressed in a red vest and blue, baggy pants, he walked over to me and sneered.

"What's your problem, coming into other people's houses like that? It's called privacy!" I was taken aback by his rudeness. What was _his_ problem?

"I was put here against my will! It's not like I chose to walk into some random person's house and sleep on the floor! If I was going to break an entry, then I would've stolen something or hid in a room instead of just crashing against the wall!"

"Well, then, why would someone put you in a house against your will?"

"Because he's a jerk, and he wants to get back at me for yelling at him!"

"I can see why he's so mad at you," Taruto remarked snidely, "You should hear yourself. Now, what did you say your name was, old hag?"

Well, this little midget wasn't very polite. Why was he a commander in the first place? What was the commander _of_? He was just a kid! The person who put him in that position must have been crazy! That, or really, really stupid. Maybe the Sultan promoted him there or something.

"Ichigo," I spat. If Taruto wanted to be rude, then I would be rude right back, just to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Taruto scowled and marched off back through the doorway, calling, "I'm going to go fetch the Prince. Keep her in the room."

Prince? I wasn't in the palace, was I? No, the building looked different, and so did the maids and the butlers. I hadn't seen any palace guards pass by, and the structure of the building had more arches and pillars than the palace did. That, and the walls weren't trimmed in gold, though some of the structure was made of marble. Besides, why would the Sultan send me into the palace when I was already there? The maids didn't mention anything about invading the _palace_…just the house. So I couldn't be in the palace…right?

But when Commander Taruto returned, I was stunned by who exactly was following him. I was half-expecting Masaya, half-expecting a stranger. However, the person behind him was none other than Kisshu Takahiro, hands behind his head and looking around the room. I groaned. Now it all fell into place. The Sultan didn't put me in a random person's house-- he put me in Kisshu's house on purpose! He just wanted to stir me up! He knew that Kisshu would give me a hard time, and he knew how embarrassed I would be! I mentally ran through a list of all of the curse words in my mind as I watched Kisshu eye the group of maids, his eyes falling upon me last of all. Once he saw me, his face spread into a grin. I felt my stomach turn and my face heat up. I made an effort at suppressing these troublesome emotions, though, and tried to mold my face into a calm, serious one.

"Prince Kisshu, I apologize for the extreme inconvenience!" one of the maids called from behind me. The whole dozens of them bowed upon his entering, and I began to wonder what was going on. Prince? Kisshu? Should I bow too? I decided not to. It would be too awkward if I did. Still, what had gotten into the maids? Was Kisshu _making_ them bow like a slave driver?

"Hey, if you're going to visit," Kisshu said, striding over to me and taking a seat in front of me, "then at least warn me so I can prepare! Commander Taruto just about gave me a heart attack when he said that a girl named Ichigo had been found sleeping in my hallway!" I was suddenly even _more _embarrassed. He thought I had broken into the house and started sleeping as well as Taruto!

"I-I really didn't mean to!" I said, stuttering, "I was put in your house against my will. It's…a really long story. But I swear I didn't just come right in and decide to fall asleep on your floor, really!" Kisshu laughed in amusement and propped his head up on his hand.

"No, no, it's fine. I believe you."

"Why do they call you 'Prince'?" I burst in. I was really curious, and Kisshu seemed to be in a good mood. It was a good thing that he would listen to me because of the curse.

Kisshu raised an eyebrow and looked behind his shoulder at Commander Taruto, who rolled his eyes.

"If you must," the child commander muttered, looking at me accusingly. I sent him a glare back.

"Midget." I hissed at him.

"Old hag." he hissed back. Kisshu caught our little exchange and snickered. I turned my focus back to him and smiled sheepishly, to which he responded with a wink.

"They call me 'Prince' because…" he looked around him in paranoia and lowered his voice, "I'm hosting an operation that my dad started a few years ago. I'm gathering a militia to take over the throne by force."

I gasped in surprise. A coup? An operation that had been going for _years_?

"H-how?" I asked in doubt, "How will you do it? You couldn't possibly overthrow the government by pure force…could you?"

"It's actually more complicated than it seems," Kisshu explained, "We've been gathering recruits over the past years and training them for the day. In short, our army is composed of just about anyone who opposes the government, is willing to train for eight hours a day, and can keep a secret. Of course, if they really must spill, then they are forced to recruit whoever they told the secret to. On top of that, some spies have tried reporting to the Sultan about news of a coup, but he never listens to them. Nothing has happened these few years, so we assume that the Sultan is either ignoring us or completely naïve to the situation."

I was astounded. Finally, we would have a new government. The financial situation of the country was miserable, and the Sultan was just making it worse by his greedy spending. The country's military was, as I experienced, poorly-trained and out of practice. I couldn't say that Kisshu's way of setting up the government was going to be any better, though. Come to think of it, would he be Sultan?

"At any rate, your timing for showing up on my rooftop was rather suspicious, since the operation is actually supposed to be executed in a matter of days," Kisshu said, a hint of mocking suspicion in his voice, "You're not a spy, are you?"

"O-Of course not!" I exclaimed, shaking my head back and forth, "…this is all a bit of a shock. So does this mean that _you're_ going to be Sultan, then?"

"Essentially, yes," Kisshu said smugly. A hint of pride flashed across his features, his golden eyes glowing in excitement. Obviously, he was very proud of his position and enjoyed waving it in front of my face. I wouldn't blame him, though, because I would do the same if I was in the same position.

"No offense, but I'm kind of scared about what will happen when a…what are you, sixteen…year-old takes over the throne." Mutters of disapproval sounded from the maids behind me, who were still listening to our conversation silently and carefully. They were beginning to sound more like a fan club than a service to Kisshu.

"I'm fifteen, honey," Kisshu said with a smirk, "…and, don't worry, it's all part of the plan. What will the surrounding countries think when an "inexperienced young man" takes over the throne? They'll underestimate our real power. We'll be stronger than they think, so we can take them down one by one. Of course, I'll be backed up by a council, so I'm not ruling the country alone. The same strategy goes for Commander Taruto, you see. He seems much too young for his position, but he isn't really in as much power as it seems he is in." Taruto, who was leaning up against the doorway of the room, frowned and glared in the opposite direction.

"So you're a government puppet?" I asked suspiciously. That was what it sounded like from his description. Kisshu sounded like he would just take over the throne in order to pose as a picture of weakness so that the country would be underestimated, but he wouldn't have any actual power. Kisshu frowned a pouting frown.

"I am not! I'm still going to be Sultan, and I still have power in the council!" I couldn't help but smirk. I had just hit a nerve. So, in reality, he was just pretending like he ruled the world, and was trying to convince himself so?

"You sound more like you're the little boy playing 'King of the World' while the grown-ups handle everything else," I mocked jokingly. From the doorway, Taruto snickered and slapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing any louder.

Some people, though, weren't as amused with this comment. I soon felt a sharp jab in my back as one of the maids behind me growled, "What did you just say about the Prince?" she was followed with a few more yells of protest from a handful of other maids. Kisshu wasn't happy about this at all.

"If you can't behave yourselves, then please leave the room," he snarled in detest at the maids behind me. Shuffling of feet and a few exchanged mutterings were all I heard from over my shoulder, but I wouldn't turn my head in case I would receive any rude glares or gestures from the banished maids. I felt slightly guilty now for ridiculing Kisshu. I was being extremely rude to him when he had just poured out his family secret to me.

"Sorry."

I was surprised that both of us apologized at the same exact time, Kisshu's voice mixing with mine. I blushed and lowered my head, stuttering, "N-no, really. That was really rude of me to make that comment. I'm really sorry."

"I insist, sorry about the maids. You know they were just looking for an opportunity to do something nasty to you because they were jealous."

"Of what?" I asked curiously. Deep down, I knew what it was they were jealous about, but I selfishly wanted him to say it himself.

"They're jealous that you're getting so much attention from me," Kisshu said with a laugh, "Most of them would sell their souls to the devil to be in same position you're in."

I remembered that there were still maids behind me that hadn't been dismissed, and I blushed at being exalted in such a manner. To make matters worse, Kisshu looked around me at the remaining maids and said teasingly, "Isn't that right, ladies?" I must have lit up as red as a tomato, because my face felt like it was going to melt off from embarrassment. I slowly, bravely turned my head to look behind me at the maids. They were all looking at their hands, blushing in a similar manner as I, or nodding hesitantly.

I turned my head back around and accused in a scornful whisper, "Flirt."

Taruto must've been getting impatient by then, because he rolled his eyes and spoke up, "Hey, lover boy, are you going to get back to that council meeting or not?"

I took him out of a council meeting? Wait, he came out of a council meeting to see _me_? I suddenly felt insignificant, like I had just been knocked off of the pedestal I had been placed upon moments earlier.

"Sorry for taking you out of your meeting," I said quickly, standing up from my seat, "I-I didn't know I was holding you up. I'll go now."

"Wait," Kisshu said, snatching my wrist. He got up from his position on the floor, still clutching onto my wrist, "If you're going to leave, I insist that you stay in my house tonight. I can't take the guilt of letting you sleep on my rooftop out in the cold."

He still didn't get that I was _fine_. I could stand the cold! I'd been sleeping outside for years now. His offer, as before, was tempting. The image of a nice, fluffy bed and warm sheets filled my head. I tried to push them out with logic. I still didn't trust Kisshu enough so that I could stay in his house and really feel comfortable about it. I was afraid that I would build too much of a serious relationship with him. Because, after the week was over, I would just break his heart if he suddenly didn't love me anymore. I didn't want to become the seventeenth girl to dump him or the first girl he would dump, so I would try to keep as separated from him as possible. It was harder than it sounded.

"Sorry, no," I said flatly, "Thanks for the offer." Kisshu sighed despairingly and released my wrist.

"Alright, fine." he said sorrowfully, "One of these days, I _will_ convince you to stay."

"Don't bet on it," I said with a teasing smile. I couldn't resist making these little comments, because, no matter how much I'd like to deny it, I loved getting a reaction out of Kisshu. He was just fun to mess with…for no apparent reason. I mentally scolded myself for "flirting" with him. Well, at least he took it in good humor.

Kisshu smirked and chucked at my comeback. "See you, Ichigo." he said, turning on his feet.

"Bye." I said, exiting through the opposite doorway. Now, to find the exit.

As I rounded the corner along one of the hallways, I hard voices from an open doorway. I ducked back around the corner and leaned in to listen. I couldn't resist eavesdropping, despite my (better?) judgment. It sounded like a group of several females. Maids, possibly.

"But don't you understand? We have to do this!"

"But what if he found out?"

"He wouldn't! And, besides, we're just doing him a favor."

There was a pause, and I listened in closer. Did 'he' mean Kisshu?

"She's right. All she does is distract him from his work and rudely push him away. She's a threat and a weakness to the Prince, and we have to take her out."

I covered my mouth with one hand to suppress my gasp. Take her out? I guessed by then that the 'she' must've been me. The maids were coming back for revenge because of what happened that day. I slipped back around in the other direction as quietly as possible. I had only taken a few steps, though, before I heard a voice from behind me.

"There she is!"

My heart caught in my throat and I took off like a scared rabbit, not daring to look back. Sure, they were just a bunch of maidservants, but they were in bigger numbers. That, and they were Kisshu's fan girls. Never underestimate fan-power.

Opportunity for escape came when I saw a large, open window facing an alleyway to the side of the house. Saying a small, silent prayer, I threw myself over the edge and braced my legs for the impact.

Luck was with me. I landed on my two feet with no injuries. Sighing in relief, I felt a dull ache in my feet. Apparently, my feet were just sore from the impact. Not bad, considering I could've broken a bone or two.

I wiped my hands on my cloak and drew a long sigh. Evening was already upon me. Now exactly how long had I been sleeping in Kisshu's house…? The sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon. The clouds were painted in purples and blues with a tint of pink towards the west.

A question soon struck me hard in the face. Where was I going to stay? I could find a new rooftop to reside on, but I didn't want to go hunting for one when evening was so close. I would eventually be too tired, and I didn't want to sleep out in the streets. That was too dangerous for me. I needed to be out of sight on a rooftop somewhere where no thieves or perverts could find me.

Glancing left then right, I decided it was time for the last resort: I would stay at Ryou's. Of course, I knew he couldn't say no if I asked him for a place to stay. He wouldn't be able to tell me "no" with the curse still planted in him. I felt a twinge of guilt for taking advantage of his weakness, but it was for the greater good. He would've understood.

Once I made up my mind, I started off towards Ryou's bakery. It was a matter of minutes before I arrived at his doorstep. It was already beginning to grow cold outside, and that had only pushed me to run faster on my way there.

"Um, Ryou?" I called, stepping inside. I looked all around, but I didn't see him immediately. But then he stood up from a kneeling position behind one of the tables, showing himself to me. He looked at me curiously.

"Back again?" I looked down, blushing and fidgeting with my fingers. Damn curse.

"Um…sorry, this is kinda asking a lot, but could I stay here tonight? Just for one night…please?" I managed to raise my head and cock my head in a little begging smile.

_Come on, think cute, _I thought anxiously, _The curse ought to kick in right about now…_

Ryou, as I had hoped, moaned and ran a hand through his blonde, luscious-looking hair.

"Ichigo, Ichigo…" he muttered, "You never fail to amuse me. Alright, you can stay. You know where my room is."

My face spread into a delighted smile. Yes! It had worked!

_Sorry, Ryou, but you just got used by yours truly!_

"Thank you so much!" I said gratefully. I skipped past him, humming a little tune to myself. As I did, I brushed my fingertips across the side of his face. His skin was firm and warm from the hard work, but it send a wave of electricity down my back. Scolding myself for flirting with Ryou, I skittered into the little room off the side of the back room, leaving Ryou in a dead shock.

The small room was Ryou's personal bedroom. It was very simple, only containing a small desk and cushion, a cot, and a window with a "beautiful" view of the alleyway to the side of the house. I picked up the cushion from under the desk, and then took it with me to a spot next to the cot. Pulling off my cloak, I laid down on the stone tile floor and positioned the cushion under my head.

Then I began to doze. I must've fallen asleep, because I faintly remember waking up to the feeling of being lifted off of the ground and set onto the cot. I still pretended to be asleep, though. If Ryou wanted to sleep on the floor, then he could sleep on the floor. His choice, not mine. Maybe, under that cold exterior, Ryou really _could_ be the nice guy.

I fell asleep with a little smile lingering on my face.

Thanks, Ryou.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Thanks for reading! Drop a review if you feel so inclined! ^_^)


	7. A Disturbing Vision

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Just in case this chapter confuses some people, this is a **dream sequence**. It may or may not have to do with upcoming events in future chapters. You'll have to wait and see. ^^

**Narrator**: What if Ichigo had the powers of foreseeing the future in her dreams? Does her dream have to do with the upcoming future? Continue reading to find out!

**Rizu**: -tosses Narrator a cookie- Sorry, folks, but this one's a shortie since it's a dream sequence, and it goes without a quote. I swear I'll have the next chapter up soon, though!

---x---

The heat. The heat was in the wind. It was in the ground. It was in the air she breathed. There was no sound. The world around her had no sound. Everything was silent as death.

Ichigo's eyes shot open. She looked all around her. She was in the Sultan's throne room. The entire place was on fire. The carpets, banners, everything was burning with an intense heat, sending sparks and smoke up in billows. Even worse than that was that the fire was fast approaching. She tried to struggle, but she found that she was tied with thick, strong ropes. In desperation, she turned her head in all directions, trying to find a way out. She looked to the sky to see the clouds above moving at supersonic speed in unnaturally clear blues and whites.

When Ichigo focused back down to the ground, she saw three figures standing before her. On closer inspection, she saw that they had their backs turned. More than that, she could identify all three of them: Masaya, Ryou, and Kisshu.

Ichigo tried to struggle with her bonds once more. Surprisingly, they broke free with little or no effort. She shrugged them off and they vanished into thin air as she rose to her feet. She first reached a hand to Masaya's shoulder. As her fingers brushed the white cloth of his robes, he began to dissolve. From the head down, his body began to disintegrate like dust in the wind. Ichigo tried to grasp for him, to keep him there, but he had soon gone completely.

Shaken, Ichigo hesitantly reached for Ryou's shoulder. Unlike Masaya, she didn't get to touch his shoulder. Before she did, Ryou began to sink into the ground. His feet seemed to melt into the carpet as he traveled down, down. Ichigo, like she had done with Masaya, tried to stop him by grabbing hold of his body, but she couldn't seem to pull hard enough to keep him up. Soon, the last strands of his hair slipped through her fingers, and he was gone.

Ichigo was now horrified. What had she done? She lifted her head from the place where Ryou was and looked to the back of Kisshu. She felt her hand move from her side and reach towards his shoulder. Her fingertips were mere centimeters from his shoulder when Kisshu turned to look at her. Ichigo gasped and took a step back.

Kisshu had no face.

---x---


	8. A Source of Relief

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Sorry that this chapter's so late! I've been a bit busy lately since I had a late, LATE birthday party last weekend (my birthday actually being April 23). That, and I'm making my two little sisters costumes for another anime convention they're going to in November. I want to make them awesome costumes before I leave for boarding school, so those have really been a big project lately. As well as those two reasons...well, I'm not even going to go into my mom hosting the church garage sale. Just know that I've been busy.

**Narrator**: Ichigo's adventures continue as she struggles to keep her chin up during tough times! But after hearing a plan of a coup, pulling through a break-up with Masaya, and now meeting a new friend, can she survive the remaining days?

**Rizu:** You forgot something.

**Narrator: **...read to find out!

**Rizu: **Good boy. -tosses dog biscuit-

**Narrator:** Hey!

**Rizu: **Oh yeah, and should I start doing disclaimers? I think I did one at the beginning of this story, but I'm not sure...

**Narrator**: Heck, who's going to sue you? 4kids?

**Rizu**: Never hurts to be cautious. "I do not own or claim ownership to Toyko Mew Mew or any related titles, logos, or characters."

**Narrator**: -claps-

xoxoxoxo

_A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they're not so bad. _

_- Arnold H. Glasgow_

xoxoxoxo

When I first gained consciousness after my sleep, I immediately noticed that I felt warm…almost sweaty. I shifted around uncomfortably in the cot I was sleeping on. In doing so, however, I bumped into something else: the source of heat. My eyes shot open, and I found them looking at the back of a blonde head.

Ryou's head.

"R-ryou?" I squeaked, shooting up from my laying position and scooting as far from Ryou as possible without leaving the warm sheets of the cot. Ryou turned over and rubbed an eyes lazily. Damn, he looked really cute when he did that…

I shook my head back and forth to try and knock that thought out of my mind. I didn't need those dumb feelings getting in my way when I was trying to be angry!

"W-what are you doing in the s-same bed as me?" I stuttered, pointing a shaking finger at Ryou. Ryou stared at me blankly for a moment or two. Then, he sat up and yawned. I still awaited my answer, but he seemed to be ignoring me completely.

"Hey, answer my question!" I called. "What were you doing sleeping next to me?"

"It was cold," Ryou moaned groggily, "and you were thrashing around like you had a nightmare. Do you remember what it was?"

Choosing to ignore his lame excuse about "it was cold", I strained to remember what I dreamed.

_Let's see, I fell asleep thinking about how a plate of spiced salmon sounded delicious…then I felt Ryou lift me into the cot…then…I woke up._

Nope, nothing.

"No, I don't remember a thing," I said. "Did I say anything?"

"Nah, you mostly just tossed around. You kind of gasped once or twice, but that was about it." I sighed and flopped back down on the cot, of which Ryou had just gotten off of. It was so warm that I just wanted to fall back asleep.

"Okay, you should get going," ordered Ryou. "This isn't your house, and I don't want people getting the wrong idea if anyone sees you in my room."

Okay, time to test out my persuasion powers backed up by the curse on Ryou. I rolled over on my side to face him and put on the most pathetic, pleading voice I could muster.

"Pleeease?" Ryou, once he saw me, couldn't stop looking. I knew the look that crossed his face: he was being overwhelmed by his artificial affections for me. It was either kick out the girl you love or let her stay and risk being humiliated. I thought for sure I had him caught, hook, line, and sinker.

Unfortunately, my powers of persuasion weren't as strong as I thought they were. Ryou finally was able to tear his eyes off me and he blew a gusty sigh.

"No, Ichigo. I can't take the risk of having you stay in my room all morning. You have to leave."

I sulked and swung my legs over the cot. It was too bad; I wish I could've stayed there longer. Plus, I would've been able to spend some quality time with Ryou…

Guilty pleasure. That's what the curse was: a guilty pleasure. I knew I shouldn't be getting closer to the boys affected, but I couldn't help but want to. I _wanted_ to feel near to them. I _wanted _them to drool all over me. I _wanted _to get the attention that I normally wouldn't get. It was a greedy and selfish desire, but all too difficult to resist.

"Alright, I'm leaving." I mumbled. I got up from the cot, brushed off my simple, white dress, and pulled my cloak back over myself. Ryou stood there, silently watching me. He made no move to say or do anything. I found this a little odd when he just watched me. Of course, it was in Ryou's nature to be strangely quiet like that.

As I walked out the doorway and into the back room, Ryou called after me.

"Stay safe, Ichigo," he said. My steps halted for a moment. Stay safe? That was a strange request. Granted, I _had_ told him to hide me from those palace guards that one time…was that yesterday? It seemed to long ago.

"Thanks," I chirped, turning my head back to him and flashing a smile. I saw his face turn an unnatural-looking pink before I exited the bakery. A blush was extremely rare on Ryou, so it looked very odd on him. Kind of like trying to force a cat into a dress. It just doesn't look right.

Feeling rather proud of my control over Ryou, I stepped into the now-busy streets of the market. I had woken up later than usual, so the crowds weren't as bad as usual. It also was turning out to be an unnaturally hot day, so the heat was probably keeping a lot of people inside.

As I strode through the crowds, I took a small side-street between two buildings to cross onto another busy pathway. At the end of this alleyway, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around curiously to see a girl about my age, maybe a little older, with lime-green hair and bright blue eyes.

"Um, excuse me for the bother, but, if you're not to busy, could you help me carry my purchased goods? I can't seem to get them all the way to my destination." I looked at her curiously and was about to open my mouth when she continued. "O-oh, I'm sorry, you must be busy. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, miss!"

"No, no, it's fine! I'll help!" I offered with a smile. The girl's face lit up, and she turned to indicate to the pile of groceries and other items behind her. It was, indeed, a huge pile. I wondered how she had got it as far as she had. Walking to the pile, I shrugged two long, narrow sacks over my shoulders and clutched onto a third, bulgier sack that I guessed held potatoes. The girl picked up a stack of porcelain dishes and a bag that held something that jingled when it shook.

Carefully righting her balance while carrying the dishes, she steadied herself and said, "Follow me, please." I nodded and followed after her. The sacks were heavy and weighed down on my back. I could feel that they both contained rice. But why so much of it? And why so many expensive-looking porcelain dishes?

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Ah, we're going to a manor house ahead and to the left. I'm a servant that works there, so I was doing the shopping." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Are you familiar with someone by the name of Sir Kisshu?"

I almost dropped the sacks I was carrying.

_You have GOT to be kidding me._

"You work for him?" I cried in surprise. The girl looked stunned at my reaction, dangerously loosing a bit of grip on the dishes she was carrying.

"D-do you know him too, ma'am?"

"Yes, I do. Though sometimes I wish I didn't…" I admitted with a little smile. The girl giggled and smiled a warm, friendly smile. Her smile gave me the same feeling I got when I ate warm soup or gave someone a hug.

"My name is Lettuce. May I have yours?"

"Ichigo," I replied, returning her smile. Once again, Lettuce had to struggle to maintain balance of the dishes in her shock. She stared at me with wide eyes.

"I-I-I'm pleased to meet you, M-Miss Ichigo! I never thought I'd have the privilege to meet you!" I looked at her with a worried frown. What was so special about plain old me?

"You're acting like I'm some kind of royalty!" I giggled. "Why is that?"

"Well, you're kind of like royalty around Pr-- I mean, Sir Kisshu's house. All of the maids are jealous since Sir Kisshu really seems to like you a lot." Lettuce remarked, dodging a child that ran through the people and almost knocked her off her feet. The porcelain dishes swayed, Lettuce whimpered, but they finally settled back to their stack. Lettuce and I both let out a sigh of relief. That was close. At least Lettuce shared the same clumsiness as me. Now I felt reassured that I wasn't the only one around that was uncoordinated.

"Oh, yes, and don't worry," Lettuce said suddenly. "I'm not out to get you or anything because Kisshu likes you. I would be rather cautious about the rest of his maids, though. They seem rather vicious when it comes to the obstruction to their love interest." I nodded gravely. I had already had a first-hand experience with the maids, and I wasn't planning on getting anywhere _near_ them after that.

Then I had an idea. Judging by Lettuce's words, she hinted that Kisshu was boasting his relationship with me. Through her, I could hear more about what Kisshu was saying about me.

"You said Sir Kisshu likes me a lot?" I probed.

"Oh, yes," Lettuce declared, evidently glad to discuss the gossip. "He talks about 'Ichigo is so pretty!' and 'Even her eyes smile at you when you look at them!' and 'Her voice is like an angel's!'" I found myself blushing. My voice sounded normal to _me_. "He talks about you just about every minute of his life!"

"Not _every_ minute." I corrected. "I'm not _that_ special. Kisshu must've hit his head or something, because my voice does not sound like an angel's. It gets all squeaky when I'm nervous; it makes me sound like a mouse." Lettuce and I both giggled with each other. Deep down in me, I was glad to have a conversation with a fellow girl, something I had not had in a while. Even if it was with a newfound friend.

"So it's a pretty big coincidence that I met up with one of Kisshu's maids. Does he have a lot?" I asked.

"Yes, he does," Lettuce replied. "They're mostly female, though. Some say it's because he enjoys surrounding himself in women…" Lettuce giggled nervously. Well, that sure sounded like Kisshu. I could see him now: _Why have male servants when I can encompass myself with beautiful ladies?_

I stuck out my tongue.

"But, yes," Lettuce continued, "He does have quite a large amount of maids, butlers, cooks, and even sol--" Lettuce's words stopped abruptly and she visibly bit her lip. Oh, right. Secret operation.

"It's alright; I already know," I reassured her.

"Thank goodness," Lettuce sighed in relief, "Pai has taken such great care to preserve the secrecy, and it would be a shame to break it."

"Pai?" I asked curiously.

"Ah, er…he's one of the leaders," Lettuce said, suddenly becoming nervous. She was probably trying to choose words that didn't sound too suspicious to the hearing ears around us. "He is one of the older of them, and is very independent and an amazing genius. H-he's really quite remarkable…" her voice trailed off as she looked at her feet. I saw the tips of her ears turn pink. She seemed really embarrassed.

"I don't mean to prod," I said, siding up next to her, "but I'm rather curious…do you fancy Commander Pai?"

The once-pink tip of her ear turned more of a rosy-red in color.

"Ah, well, um…yes," she answered in almost a whisper.

"Don't worry about it!" I reassured, nudging her slightly with my elbow. "I can keep a secret! Tell me all about him!" I felt utterly curious and hungry for the gossip. Lettuce obviously needed to vent some emotions, too, like she needed someone to talk to as well as I. I was just simply opening her up to conversation.

"Well," Lettuce began, "Pai is actually Sir Kisshu's cousin. He easily moved up in ranks, so he's a very high-ranked commander currently. Two years ago, he was a quiet yet calm, tenderhearted person, even though he rarely talked. At the time, he was courting a very beautiful young girl whose name was Zakuro. He loved her very much. Then, one day, when Zakuro stepped out of town to visit a relative, she disappeared. No word of her came from the town where she intended to go, and she never came back to Pai. No one found out what happened to her. So, after months of searching, they finally declared her dead." I was astonished at the story so far, and listened in intently. What could've happened so that no one heard from her, and they never found a body?

"After that, Pai refused to leave his room for weeks on end. He rarely ate or drank. He eventually overcame his misery and continued his role as a commander, but he still isn't the same as what he used to be. He's never really smiled since…and he only talks if it is necessary…" Lettuce's head shot up, and she shook her head.

"I-I'm sorry for thrusting such a depressing story on you so suddenly!"

"No, no, I'm glad you told me!" I said soothingly. "Sometimes telling people your feelings makes you feel much better instead of letting them build up inside. Besides, I really think that you can get through to his heart someday. He sounds like he is just a gentle person with a lot on his mind. I'd bet you could reach him if you just show him your kindness a little every day."

Lettuce's smile returned.

"Thank you very much for your kind words, Ichigo," she said gratefully. "It means a lot to me to have someone say that." I smiled back. The same warm feeling overcame me, the one that made me feel cozy inside.

"Enough about me, though, tell me what kind of relationship you have with Sir Kisshu," Lettuce insisted cheerily. I found myself blushing just as red as Lettuce was. What would I say now? I couldn't say I didn't like him, but I shouldn't say I did.

"Well, he's very sweet and all," I stated, choosing my words slowly and deliberately, "but I'm not sure if a relationship with him would work out." I congratulated myself in my head for successfully stating my feelings while staying rather neutral.

"Hm, I see," Lettuce murmured. "He being practically royalty and all."

"That, and he's a shameless flirt," I blurted out. Lettuce stifled her laughter along with me.

"I suppose you're right," Lettuce said. "He doesn't seem ready to settle down for a real relationship yet. He still acts like a kid sometimes." Her words held truth to them. Kisshu _did _act like a big, immature kid. An immature, _loveable_ kid, but an immature kid all the same. Lettuce and I both let the conversation drop as we silently proceeded on.

It wasn't long after that that we approached the "mansion/house", as I would like to call it. Lettuce led me to a back door on the side of the house. She fumbled with the porcelain dishes, trying to reach the key on her belt, before I set down the sacks I was carrying and assisted her by untying the key from around the belt it hung on. Then, once I had unlocked the door and pushed it open, I handed her the key and picked up my sacks of food. They were starting to feel awfully heavy. I wondered how much longer it would be until I could set them down for good.

Lettuce led us through several corridors and halls, which made me wonder how many rooms the manor actually _held_. A few dozen, maybe? I would never know for sure. After a little bit of walking, Lettuce began to pick up speed. I followed her pace with a bit of difficulty, but then she turned a corner a few meters ahead of me. I turned the same corner to see that she had disappeared from the hall.

"Lettuce?" I asked, peering into several open doors along the way. She seemed to have gone completely. "Lettuce?" I called again, getting a little bit anxious. Something wasn't right. I began to feel paranoid, like something bad was about to happen. I whirled around to look behind me, but no one was there. Taking a few steps back, I felt several hands grab me from behind and haul me into a room along the hall. I let out a little shriek before they shut a wooden door behind me. The room was lit by the candlelight, and, in it, I saw dozens of figures looming all around me. One of them, the one standing straight before me, I recognized immediately.

It was the maid that had snapped at me for insulting Kisshu. She glowered down at me with a look of pure disgust, like a bug you find on the floor beneath you.

At that moment, I realized what was about to happen. I was about to take a severe beating from Kisshu's fan club. I remembered what they said about me yesterday when I was wandering through the manor.

"_All she does is distract him from his work and rudely push him away. She's a threat and a weakness to the Prince, and we have to take her out." _

Oh, damn.

xoxoxoxo

(A.N./ Reviews make me happy! ^^)


	9. A Dishing of Justice

(A.N./

Rizu: Hark! An update arises there forth! Who dost prepare for its awesomeness?

Narrator: -cough-

Rizu: Sorry, I'm kind of anxious and jittery right now because something bad happened in my family that my parents won't tell me.

Narrator: That's 'cause YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Rizu: Enough about me, I've been aiming for an update per week, so I think I got this one out a little late... it's extra long to make up for it, though, so enjoy!

Narrator: When Kisshu's obsessive maids get a hold of Ichigo, she'll have to escape their jealous grips! But how will she protect herself for good? Read and find out!)

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_"Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness."_

_-Confucious_

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Before I could struggle, before I could scream, the girl before me called, "Make sure she doesn't get away!"

I felt myself being forced down into a chair, my hands being tied as well as my feet.

"Get off!" I yelled, trying to wriggle out. "Let GO of me!" I successfully managed to kick one of the girls in the face. She shrieked and shrunk back, while the girls surrounding her gave me vicious looks.

"You're stuck here now, so don't try to resist!" one of them declared. I suddenly felt someone strike the side of my face. Turning from them, I scowled and narrowed my eyes. This was a tight spot. But what would they do with me? They weren't going to kill me, were they?

Their leader, the most outspoken of them, stepped forward towards me, holding a candle before her face so she could see. I saw that she had raven-blue hair done up in two buns in the back and two tufts of hair left in front of her ears…not unlike a certain other person's green hair was done. The girl's dark brown eyes bore into mine as she examined my face, a look of contempt on her features.

"Who are you?" I hissed. "And why am I here?"

"Who do you _think_ we are?" the girl spat. I raised an eyebrow.

"Kisshu's fan club," I stated dryly. I was only being honest.

"It's 'Prince Kisshu'," the leader responded, turning up her nose, "And, yes, you're right. We are, more or less, his 'fan club', as you might put it." Murmurs of approval sounded from the audience around her, an air of appreciation arising for their leader's declaration.

I was beginning to think that this whole thing was becoming downright stupid really fast. Contemplating my escape strategy, I felt along the ropes that my hands were tied with. It seemed that they were loose enough so that I could squeeze my thin hands out of them with a bit of effort and some knot-loosing. Good.

"My name is Mint," the leader said. She held out a hand for me to shake in mockery, my hands being restrained. I was really beginning to hate this girl. She seemed like a real snob. No-- she was the _definition_ of snob. I gave her a look that practically shot daggers at her, hoping she would get the message to back off. However, she showed no fear whatsoever. Go figure.

"Answer me!" I snarled. "_Why am I here?_" Mint cleared her throat and closed her eyes, obviously preparing for a speech. And a speech she gave.

"Ever since we heard rumor of the girl who appeared on Prince Kisshu's roof one day, we have been on our toes. The worst thing was the Prince's response, it being his dreamy declarations of "love at first sight" and "the girl of my dreams". We were horrified that the Prince was so infatuated with some random girl that hadn't done anything to deserve him or his love. And, in addition to that, she was a commoner, a peasant who wandered the streets." Mint paused and shot me a smug glance. "Tell me, how many men have you slept with for money?"

Okay, that was IT. I was NOT a prostitute, and it was wrong for her to suggest it just because I didn't have a real home. It hurt. I wouldn't show it, though, and I just hid my face from view. There was no way I would give into them and give them what they want: my humiliation.

"When we saw you in person, though, we were expecting some beautiful girl that looks like an angel. However, you don't look anything but normal. Now, please inform me about something: why has Kisshu taken an interest in _you_ of all people?"

_Because he's cursed to love the normal, ugly old me, _I thought sorrowfully. Why was there a reason for anyone to love me? I wasn't amazingly pretty, charming, rich, or anything. I was just me.

"I don't know," I mumbled. Mint's face twisted into a scowl.

"That's exactly what we've been saying. You're _poisoning_ him! You don't deserve him, and you know it! Now, please answer a few questions for us. We're delighted to have your company, and are being merciful for not disposing of you while we have the chance."

I drew a huge sigh. Great. Questions. I just wanted to be out of the madhouse that was Kisshu's house of misfortune and doom…or, that's what it seemed like.

"Question number one:" Mint said, "has Prince Kisshu ever kissed you?"

Damn. Of all questions, why this one? I didn't want to lie, though, in fear of one of the girls calling my bluff. I hung my head in embarrassment as I mumbled.

"…yes."

The gasps that filled the room made me regret telling the truth. Anxious whispering and conversing ensued, leaving me to stare at my lap. One of the girls closest to me slammed her fist into my arm tied next to me. I recoiled and let out a little shriek of pain. Mint noticed that it was getting a little out of hand, and called for quiet.

"Alright, ladies, calm down." She then continued. "Question number two: has Kisshu told you he loves you?"

Thank goodness, a question I could answer "no" to. I discreetly slipped my feet out of my large, chunky boots, freeing them from the bonds of the chair with my boots still tied on.

"No, he hasn't," I replied boldly. I began to work on getting my hands free while the rest of the room seemed to let out one simultaneous sigh of relief. More twittering ensued through the nervous girls. To think that this many maids were willing to practically torture Kisshu's love interest. Especially the leader, Mint. I wondered what was actually going on in her head at the time.

"Very good, very good," Mint said primly, "now onto question number three: have you slept with Price Kisshu?" Several disturbing images flashed across my mind, causing my face to form into something of a disgusted scowl. No way in hell would I ever do that. Ever. I only forced the knot on my hands harder. Giving one part a good yank, I felt it loose a bit on one end. I was almost done with the knot.

"No, of course not!"

Another relieved sigh came from the group around me. Some of them began to yell questions of their own, such as "How long have you been seeing each other?" and "Have you actually gone out somewhere together?" Naturally, I ignored them and chose to concentrate on untying the knot on my hands.

_Almost finished…_

"Another question," Mint called above the rising tumult that was the fan club. "Do you return the Prince's feelings, pray tell?"

I just finished the last section of the knot. Perfect timing, if I do say so myself, because I was able to lunge out of my chair, grab hold of its back, and swing it like a weapon. I yelled, "None of your business, bitch!" before swiping it in front of me. The maids in front of me jumped back in surprise, some shrieking at my sudden, violent attack. Taking the chair with me, I slammed the door open with a crash and sprinted down the halls in my bare feet, making a sort of "pat, pat, pat" noise on the marble floors. The light almost burned my eyes from being in the dark room. I squinted in front of me while undoing my boots from the chair. I couldn't leave my precious boots behind.

I had a sort of wave of guilt at swinging the chair at the maids like that. I might've seriously hurt one of them. But it wasn't long before I heard the yells of the maids behind me, hot in pursuit. Why did it always seem as though someone or another was chasing me? Their yells confirmed to me that no one was hurt, and everyone was just mad. The guilt quickly passed. I barely had time to shove one boot on a foot when I turned a corner and almost tripped. I skidded to a stop, started again, and took off down another hallway towards the outer layer of the building. I heard someone yell to split up from behind me. Apparently, they were planning to corner me somewhere. I needed to hide, and fast.

Glancing to my left and right, I saw various doorways that seemed to head to private offices or important rooms. I couldn't go in those in case I would interrupt something important. So I kept glancing towards the doorways, looking for some kind of sign or post that indicated a less-than-important room. I read a few as I ran past, mouthing them to myself. None of them seemed quite right until…

"…library. Library!" I cheered to myself. I skidded to a stop and opened the door, slid in the room, and shut it behind me with a thud. Breathing hard, I leaned against the door to catch my breath. I cast my eyes up towards the room ahead. It was a giant, circular room with a high, round ceiling that seemed to go on forever. All along the lower parts of the walls were shelves and shelves of books. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them. It took my breath away, to say the least.

There was only one occupant in the room besides myself. He was a young, strong-looking man that stood tall with broad shoulders. Dressed in expensive, formal clothing, his violet hair complimented his outfit. And when he turned his eyes to glance up at me, his purple eyes held a certain look of knowledge, of wisdom.

"Are you lost?" he asked in a serious tone. He kept a straight face and blinked slowly. I hesitated to answer. The mystery guy seemed a bit cold and scary.

"Um…yes. Sorry to bother you…um…"

"Pai," the man replied, "Major General Pai. What is it you want?"

I was momentarily taken by surprise. So this was the man that Lettuce was talking about? He _did_ seem callous, but I could see what Lettuce found so attractive about him. He was quite handsome…

"I…I, um, just was assaulted by a group of Kisshu's maids. May I speak to him, er, when he's not busy…if you don't mind?" I mumbled, still holding one of my boots. "Assaulted by maids" seemed like the best way to describe my situation, and I needed to have a talk with Kisshu if I were to survive the hell that was his house. Pai raised a doubtful eyebrow before sighing and setting his book down.

"You are Ichigo, correct?" he asked gloomily. I nodded, wide-eyed. So I was now known to the whole household as being "the one who is Kisshu's lover and whom is attacked by his maids"? Great, just great.

"Kisshu is three doors down the corridor to the left in his office. As far as I know, he is alone and not meeting with anyone at the moment." replied Pai. I nodded gratefully.

"Thank you very much, General Pai," I said respectfully, bowing. I straightened my posture and swiftly exited the library.

I cautiously slipped down the halls after shutting the door behind me. Now, when I walked, I made a sound that sounded more like an awkward "clomp, pat, clomp, pat". I didn't bother with the other boot while I was busy counting the doors.

"Third door, left…third door, left…" I repeated the directions to myself to make sure I got them right. Suddenly, I heard a yell from behind me.

"There she is!" The maids had found me. Panicking, I raced down the corridor.

_Clomp, pat, clomp, pat, clomp, pat._

"Third door, third door, third door…" I chanted rhythmically with my footsteps, the voices behind me gaining. When I finally found the third door, I threw it open, dove in, and shut it behind me with a slam. Leaning against the door, I panted profusely, trying to catch my breath.

"Ichigo? What's going on?" Kisshu's voice sounded bewildered and amused at the same time. I was finally brought back to my senses when I heard a pounding knock from the other side of the door.

I turned to Kisshu, who was sitting at his desk, and hissed, "Hide me!" The scene suddenly reminded me of a certain scene with Ryou and the palace guards. This time, Kisshu didn't hesitate for a moment. He shot up abruptly, a perplexed look on his face, and led me by the arm to a door on one side of the room. Opening it, he revealed a closet filled with shelves of old-looking scrolls from top to bottom, all of them having official-looking writing or tags on them.

"Get in," he whispered in my ear. I obeyed and stepped in before he shut the door behind me.

The small room was just big enough so that I could fit by pulling my arms to my side, making myself like one tall stick. I felt claustrophobic all of a sudden. I couldn't move without brushing against something or another. Soon I began to think I heard scuttling from around my feet. Or maybe it was my imagination. I closed my eyes and bit my lip.

_Calm down. It's fine. Just a closet. Don't be such a baby._

To distract myself, I tried listening to the outside conversation. I could hear Kisshu's casual, slightly tired-sounding tone of voice. Contrasted to it was the voice of a woman…no, a girl. It had to be one of the crazy maids after me. I prayed that Kisshu wouldn't rat on me. Of course, he wouldn't be _that_ dumb, would he?

After another minute or so, I heard the door open from behind my back. I turned around slowly to see a smug-looking Kisshu standing there, holding it open.

"So you upset the fan club?" he asked cockily. "They're after you like cats to a mouse."

"I'm aware," I spat. I yanked up the sleeve of my robe, showing him my newly-formed bruise from the punch one of the maids gave me. "They're not exactly happy that you've been making our relationship public." Kisshu's face fell from a playful one to a solemn one.

"That bad?" he asked sternly. This was the first time I'd ever seen him so serious. It kind of scared me…just a little bit.

"Well, yeah!" I barked, letting my anger boil over. "They were practically torturing me trying to interrogate me about my personal relationship with you! They had the 'scary dark room' and the 'tie the victim up' thing just right!"

Kisshu sighed gustily and rolled his eyes towards the direction on the door.

"I guess I should apologize?" he mumbled.

"Go ahead." I muttered icily.

"Sorry about them," Kisshu replied. "They're kind of fun to have around, but we've got to do something about them if you're getting harassed."

Fun to have around? So his idea of fun was to be surrounded in girls who adore him and would kill for him. My anger rose a little higher before I thought about it harder. Would I _not_ like to be surrounded in men who adore _me_ and would kill for _me_? Of course I would like it! It would make me feel special, like I'm the best person in the world! So Kisshu's fan club must've been like his company, his antidote for feeling downhearted. All he would have to do was to look to the dozens of girls who adore him and he would feel better about himself. So, then, what was _I_ there for? Did my presence make him happy, or did my sourness let him down?

Still perplexed by the question, I stepped out of the tiny room and into the more spacious office room. I stretched my arms out and sighed. It felt so good to have room to move after my encounter with claustrophobia. _Oh, right, Kisshu is still standing behind me, _I thought.

"Thanks for your help," I smiled, turning to him. "Now what are we going to do about your fan club?"

Kisshu's face lit up once more, returning to its usual smirk. He waved his hands lazily, saying, "I was thinking something along the lines of catching them in the act."

I saw where he was going with this. Scowling, I argued, "I am NOT going to be used as human bait, and you won't make me!"

"Do you have a better idea?" Kisshu persisted. The scowl on my face grew deeper, partly because he was really pushing along with the idea of me being bait, and partly because I didn't have another plan in mind.

"Can you at least think of something else?" I groaned. "I don't want to risk getting mauled by jealous women again." The image of me getting beaten to my death by a pack of angry bears with the faces of the fan club filled my mind. They'd throw me across the hall, sock me in the face, and, when I'm almost dead, the big, tall, furry bear with the face of Mint would deliver the final blow…

"So you're saying you don't trust me?" Kisshu asked innocently, pulling a mock pouting face. I snapped out of my strange daydream as he continued. "I'll promise that I'll come in and sweep you off your feet at the last second!"

The idea quickly sent a blush up my face before I smothered it with the retort: "After I'm severely beaten by your wild fan girls? How about not." Kisshu resumed his pouting.

"Pleeeease? I promise I won't let them lay a finger on you!" He sounded like a little kid, the way he was speaking. Yet, somehow, it made me want to trust him more. Maybe that was his secret strategy.

I sighed, curled my lip, and finally agreed with a "Fine," and, "But if I get beaten up, than-"

"I promise I'll keep you safe, really!" Kisshu replied excitedly, grinning like he had a sort of "evil plan" formulating in his head. I was beginning to wonder exactly what he was planning on doing.

_Maybe this was a bad idea… _I thought.

Nevertheless, it was too late to turn back. Kisshu slid past me and to the door, which he opened a crack and peered out of. Turning his head in both directions, he shut it once more.

"What?" I asked dryly, raising an eyebrow at his strange antics. Kisshu gave me an enthusiastic look.

"I'm checking to see if the coast is clear." I rolled my eyes. How immature could a young man look? Apparently, very much so. I caught his eye contact and shot him a sarcastic look.

"You're acting like a little kid."

"And you're acting like a grown woman."

I opened my mouth to spew back a comeback, but none came. I shut my mouth, defeated, while Kisshu send another smug smirk my way. "Now come on," he said. "I've got your back around corners you turn, but I'll be far enough back not to be seen. When you see them, then just back up and run back around the corner where I am, and I'll take care of the rest. You got that?" This all seemed too loose and risky to execute as planned. Something had to go wrong, because his idea of a plan was full of holes.

"Why can't we just get some of your soldiers to handle it instead?" I grumbled.

"Because that would be no fun," Kisshu replied, grabbing my hand. "Let's go already!" He then opened the door, pulled me in front of him, and gave me a light push. I turned to look at him, narrowed my eyes in a contemptuous look, and kept walking down the hall. That was when I realized that my boot was still missing. I must've left it back in the office. Oh well. I would go back to get it later. In the meantime, my footsteps took up that "clomp, pat, clomp" sound again. Soon after me followed the light, almost inaudible footsteps of Kisshu, whose sounded like "siff, siff, siff".

First corner. No maids. The coast was clear. I walked down the short hall before turning another corner.

Second corner. Still no maids. The house _was _eerily quiet, though…

Third corner. As I turned, my eyes focused on a hushed ambush gathered on the other side. Practically when my very nose peeked around the corner, they pounced. There must've been two dozen or so, because their yells and the sudden, mass movement scared me out of my skin. It was a full-force attack, a mob that had been waiting in silence for my coming. For a split second, my feet couldn't find the courage to move, but then I forced them to and I took off like a wild mustang around the corner.

Looking as I ran, I didn't see Kisshu. My face grew tight with anger, and I felt rage burn in my heart. Betrayer!

I ran back around the second corner I came by to the short hall. There, I almost ran smack into Kisshu. He took no hesitation to quickly snake his arms around my waist and face the mob. I must've lit up red from the position we were in, because I felt like I was going to pass out from the heat in my face and the pressure in my head. But the feelings of embarrassment, contempt, and panic all went away when I saw the looks on the faces of the mob. They were faces that plainly said: "We're screwed." Not only that, but some of them looked at me with jealousy in their eyes. That was when I understood. Kisshu wanted to go along with this plan so he could have this opportunity to show off that I was his, and was not to be messed with. The look on the faces of the mob was priceless. In fact, an idea came to my head that I didn't really think through before acting.

Lifting my arms from my side, I embraced Kisshu as he was doing to me. As expected, the reaction from the mob was even more amusing than before. The group's faces turned sour, angry, and they couldn't do anything about it. They were jealous, so jealous. A wave of pride rushed over me as I held tight to Kisshu, who, in turn, tightened his grip on me.

"Ichigo had informed me before that she was being harassed by you girls, but I had mercy, thinking you would change over time. However, you kept on with your actions, pushing Ichigo to the point of torture. That's right, I heard about the whole thing.

"Now, if I ever, _ever_ hear about this happening again, I will personally see to it that every last one of you is beheaded within the hour. _Do I make myself clear?_"

The mob wore shifty eyes and nervous faces as they hesitantly shook their heads up and down and shuffled their feet. I felt a surge of pride at my superior position.

_Justice is served!_

"Good," Kisshu said primly, relaxing his grip on my waist. "We're leaving now. I hope nothing like this happens in the future." He then pivoted to the other direction, pulling me with him. The odd pair, me and him, walked down the hall. Me in my tattered cloak and one boot, and him in formal robes and a sort of cape that flew out from behind him when he walked. A totally contrasting pair.

Kisshu bent his head down to my ear and whispered, "_Stick your tongue out at them."_

"_What?" _I hissed back. Actually, it didn't sound like a bad idea…

"_I know you want to," _was his reply. _"Your body language shows it."_

Whatever body language was, I guessed it must've been some way to read minds, because I _did_ want to stick my tongue out at them. So that's exactly what I did. Turning my head in the direction of the lingering maids, I squinted and stuck out my tongue. A few of them gasped at my vulgarity. Some scowled. Some glared back. But none dared to return the gesture. Sissies. I had triumphed over the beast and conquered it! Now they could no longer touch me.

I turned my head back to face the front as we turned the corner.

"That felt really good," I admitted in a hoarse whisper. Kisshu's face spread into one of the widest smirks I had ever seen.

"Told you so," he said, "Loosen up a bit."

"I'm plenty loose enough, thanks!" I muttered. "I don't want to turn into you."

"But I can't be that bad," Kisshu insisted, "since you're still holding me and all…" Indeed, my arm was still around his middle. I quickly let go of him and jumped back out of his grip. Hugging my arms close to my chest, I felt my face catch fire again. Kisshu only held the same old smug face. He was really getting his share of triumphs today, wasn't he?

"Come on," Kisshu said, interrupting my thoughts. "I've gotta show you something."

"What?" I asked suspiciously. I wasn't standing for any more 'surprises' from him.

"It's a surprise," he said cockily, just as if he read my thoughts.

"No way," I persisted. "I've had just about enough of you today."

"Okay, fine. I'll spill," he sighed. "I want to show you what my military looks like right now. The base is right down the hall in this one room and down some stairs, so it won't take a long time to get there!"

"Why?" I asked. I could answer the question myself: to show off. I would never understand men and their need to show off things to girls.

"It's really quite spectacular. I don't think you understand how huge this invasion thing really is. You should see it for yourself!"

"Alright," I murmured sarcastically, "Lead on, oh courageous captain." Kisshu's face practically swelled with pride as he took me by the hand once more and dragged me down the hallway, me tripping all over myself from trying to keep up with his swift pace. Little did I know how Kisshu's army and the invasion of the palace would shape my story in such a dramatic way. For the moment, though, I was focusing more on keeping up with Kisshu, and wondering how I was ever going to get that damned boot back.

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(A.N./ Thanks a bunch, reviewers! I'd like to hear from you again, if you please! ^^)

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	10. An Acceptance to the House

(A.N./ Holy cow! How long has it been? Two weeks? Three? I've been REALLY busy lately with performing in my dance group's recital, editing my school's video production, going through my graduation, and passing my church examination confirmation. Seriously, it's been rough lately, but I finally get to relax because it's summer break! Yay! So this should mean quick updates from here out (knock on wood). On the positive side, this is a MONSTER chapter, so I hope you get your fill of this story.

Also, for those who are getting sick of KxI fluff (anyone?), we've got a lot more spotlight on Ryou in the upcoming chapters. Oh, yeah! And Narrator is not here today. He says that he's boycotting the story until the KxI fluff is over. See, he's overly critical with my writing, and the slightest thing wrong with my plotline annoys him. So his cheesy summaries will not be back until a chapter or two.

Without further ado, enjoy!)

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_Some men have a den in their home, while others just growl all over the house.  
_

_-Unknown_

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"_Clomp, pat, clomp, pat"_

"_Siff, siff, siff"_

Kisshu and my footsteps together echoed through the halls of the building. Every once in a while we'd pass by another human who would look at us, furrow his brow, and continue. We really did look like the odd pair.

"I feel awkward," I stated, still trying to keep up with Kisshu's pace. He looked back towards me, slowing down a bit.

"…said the Princess as she was led through the Prince's castle," he replied with a smirk. Damn him and his quick comebacks.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, "Alright, I'll shut up."

As Kisshu had said, the door to the basement wasn't far. It only took us a minute or so to arrive. Kisshu opened it, stepped inside, and offered me a guiding hand. I hesitated, causing Kisshu to raise an eyebrow.

"What? Don't trust me enough to lead you down a staircase?"

"Ah, well…never mind," I mumbled, grabbing his hand and dropping myself on the stair next to him. Truth be told, he was sort of right. That, and I would still get the tingling feeling when I made contact with him or Ryou. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable, yet oddly pleased at the same time. Kind of like the feeling you get when you eat a weird combination of two foods: kind of bizarre, yet strangely satisfying.

We continued down the stone spiral staircase. It grew darker and mustier-smelling the farther we went down. Torches were lit on either side of us, casting eerie shadows on the walls. It gave the kind of effect like a ghostly prison or a haunted torture chamber. To say it creeped me out would be an understatement.

Then, as I looked at my feet, I saw the most disgusting thing I'd seen in days.

"Ew!" I shrieked, grabbing Kisshu's arm. "A snake! I can't stand snakes! Get it away!" It was slithery, slimy-looking, and a white-and-yellow in color. Its beady, red eyes looked at me with a look I saw to be pure evil: the same look _any_ reptile seemed to give me. Snakes, geckoes, you name it. They were all disgusting, and they made the hair on the back of my neck prickle.

Kisshu, who was being held like my safety blanket, hesitated before bending down to the snake, picking it up by its neck, and looking it in the eyes.

"What? This little guy?" he asked innocently. He turned the snake's head to me and pretended like it was talking, saying, "Hi, Ichigo! I promise I won't bite!" I shrieked and let go of his arm, scrambling up a step or two.

"Don't DO that!" I cried, hugging my arms close to me. Kisshu's rather boyish attempt at calming my fear of snakes didn't exactly help.

Kisshu looked at me, at the snake, and back at me before setting the snake down, saying, "Go on, get lost." The snake obeyed and slithered in the opposite direction. I let out a sigh of relief. The terror was gone. But what if it had family? I kept my guard up, slowly coming down the stone staircase in case I stepped on one or woke one up.

"Snake squeamishness?" he asked, taking my hand once more.

"Um, no, reptiles in general," I squeaked, looking around in paranoia. I was half-expecting one to jump out from nowhere and land on my head or something.

"Any other irrational fears I should know about?" Kisshu asked, guiding me down the stairs. At least he was considerate enough to ask…

"Well, yes," I mumbled. "Reptiles and ghosts. I hate ghosts and anything supernatural. But other than that, I'm just a scaredy-cat about anything."

"Well you don't seem like a scaredy-cat to heights," Kisshu remarked. "You can scale my house like I've never seen."

"True," I said, filling with pride. Having my ego stroked felt good after the snake scare.

The space around us was getting lighter by a dim light, and I began to hear mixed voices of a crowd. I squeezed Kisshu's hand tighter and asked, "Um, exactly how big is this army…?"

"You'll see," said Kisshu, giving me a reassuring but proud look. A few more circles of the staircase (I was trying to keep track of our distance) when the stairs finally ended. I gasped when I saw how huge the underground room was. It was enormous-- perhaps twice as large than the area of the house itself. It must've run underground half of the city because of its size. Inside the room was what I saw to be a few thousand individuals, all talking, sharpening weapons, or training in groups. Scattered pieces of training equipment were abundant, as well as tables, chairs, and other pieces of furniture. The ceiling was as high as the palace ceilings were, at least. The walls looked like packed dirt with stone foundation lining it down and crossways. Where we had stepped out was a balcony overlooking the place. I saw three more on each of the four walls, we being on what looked like the east or west one.

"This…they…you…how…" I mumbled, trying to choose the right words. Questions swirled around in my head like fish in a pond.

"My father started this whole project about three years ago before he was assassinated," Kisshu said grimly, resting his chin in his hand, his elbow propped up on the edge of the balcony. "He saw what kind of turmoil the country was going into and started recruiting. Unfortunately, he was murdered by a man who was jealous of his wife-- my mother. She was also killed by the same man. In reality my dad had many, many wives, but he loved all of them equally."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said reverentially. Kisshu slowly closed his eyes and reopened them before continuing.

"It's alright, though. My parents died as happy people with not much to regret. After they passed, the Council my father had appointed took over, along with me, whom they deemed their leader. We kept recruiting and our numbers grew and grew until they became big enough so that we were sure that we could overpower the Sultan's army…" His voice trailed off, his eyes wandering to my still-astonished face. Kisshu had such a sad back-story that I felt truly sorry for him for the first time. Casting my eyes over his army once more, I gave him a wary look.

"But you don't actually run this whole thing…"

"I do too!" he argued, spirits lifting. "I take part in the Council and everything!"

"Figurehead…" I coughed discreetly. He had to face the truth _sometime_. Kisshu snorted. I smirked and rolled my eyes. We both sighed. Suddenly, a question sprung to my mind that I had been wanting to ask.

"So do you know someone by the name of General Pai?" I asked with excitement. Kisshu returned my enthusiasm by straightening up and giving me a quick nod.

"Yup. I work with him often."

"I was just delivering some things here with a servant by the name of Lettuce, and she seems to like him a lot. Do you know them?" Kisshu's face broke out in a grin.

"Ah, those two! I've been trying to play matchmaker with that couple for a while now, but I can't seem to get them together! They're both too shy to move their relationship along properly."

"I know what you mean!" I gushed. "Lettuce is so shy and Pai is so introverted that it seems they'd _never_ approach each other! I can't seem to think of how to get them together, though." What I said was true: they were such a cute couple, but they couldn't seem to communicate well with each other. What could I try? Blind dates? Fake love letters? Nothing seemed as though it would work, but I would have to keep brainstorming. After all, I couldn't give up on those two.

"Who knows," Kisshu remarked. "Maybe you're the lucky charm, huh, Kitty Cat?" He wore a flirting smirk as I shot him what I hoped to be a spiteful look.

Chuckling, Kisshu said, "Now as for the matter of where you're staying tonight…" Oh, great. He was going to argue that I should stay at his house. I still didn't trust him to keep me in his house safely, and I didn't trust myself that I could stay there and not strengthen my bond with the man whose heart I would break. Yet a warm bed, a fresh change of clothes…it all sounded so wonderful. Finally, I struck up the courage to reject the offer.

"No," I said, "I'm not staying."

Kisshu's look turned serious as he turned his full body to me and leaned down to my height.

"Ichigo," he spoke, raising his voice, "The way you just jump from roof to roof makes me concerned for your well-being. What if something happened to you? What then? I'm just scared for you, Ichigo, so please stay here." I searched his eyes for some kind of humor or joke I could break the ice with, but I couldn't find one.

"Why are you so serious all of a sudden?" I asked with a nervous laugh. "Just because you're scared for me doesn't mean that you can control me, you know. I'm a free person like you are." Kisshu sighed and relaxed, straightening his posture.

"I s'pose you're right," he groaned. "I'm just so nervous and stressed with the battle coming up soon. Sorry if I'm forcing you too much. I just don't want you to get hurt, especially if it was my fault. I'd feel personally responsible if something happened because it would be my lack of hospitality that left you on the streets in the first place." He was right in some ways, but he still didn't get that I could defend myself. I wasn't a weak little girl that needed protection. So, I decided, I would tell him that.

"You know, I'm not as weak as you think," I remarked, crossing my arms. Kisshu looked at me with a look of amusement as I continued. "I've been able to escape the grasps of bad people before, and I'm sure I can do it again. I'm fast enough. I'm not the defenseless little kitten you have to protect and watch over every single minute. I can live on my own. Heck, I've been doing it for, what, six years? Seven? I'm _fine_." Kisshu smiled. No, he didn't smirk. He didn't pull his usual cocky grin. He really, genuinely _smiled_.

"You're right," he said. I raised my eyebrows. I was right? "You're right about not being defenseless. You're a strong girl, and I should know that. You can stick up for yourself and kick the ass of anyone that tries to hurt you. I mean, you got away from my rabid hoard of fans, no? That's saying something. I'm just being overly possessive. You can do your own thing. I'll…" he paused, drawing a breath, "…leave you alone." I was amazed. Shocked. He was going to stop bothering me? Finally! I felt joyful, ecstatic, and giddy for a moment before…it faded. So, without him giving me attention…I would be alone? He wasn't going to chase me anymore? No more teasing, no more prodding, no more begging…it would all be gone, leaving an empty hole in its place.

I knew I would regret it later, but, staring Kisshu in the eyes, I demanded, "No. I'm staying here. I _choose_ to stay here." There. I'd done it. Sure, I was moving a step closer to him, but losing Kisshu would be too much. I didn't want to go through another "Masaya incident". And I also didn't want to be the seventeenth girl to dump him. Now _that _would be a slap in his face. I couldn't help but giggle at the thought. Kisshu looked as though he was trying to maintain his composure, but was really bursting at the seams with happiness at my declaration.

"What's so funny?" he snickered, withholding his own laughter.

"I would've been the seventeenth girl to dump you!" I twittered, resting my hands on my hips. Kisshu's face was priceless: one of dumb disbelief and giddy joy at the same time. He looked like a complete love-struck moron.

"I…I guess you're right…" he mumbled in a sort of dazed voice. He was too busy looking at me to notice that I rolled my eyes.

"Now…where exactly am I going to stay?" I asked curiously.

Kisshu seemed to snap out of his daze as he replied, "Um, down the hall and to the right of my room." He quickly --too quickly-- took my hand and began dragging me up the staircase of death once more.

"Slow down!" I cried as I almost tripped over the first step. Kisshu looked back at me and smirked impishly. The look on his face was pure evil, and it was only enhanced by the shadowy effect of the torchlight cast on his face. I took a hesitant step back.

Without another word, Kisshu turned to me, bent down, scooped me up in his arms, and started carrying me up the stairs at a brisk pace . My whole body felt hot from the embarrassment, and I felt like I was going to faint-- kind of like what I felt when he held onto my waist in front of his maids. But this, _this_ was the mother of all embarrassing postures.

"K-Kisshu!" I shrieked, squirming in his grip. Kisshu's face reflected a feeling of true bliss…and something of a courageous knight coming back from battle, like he had won some noble prize or conquered some treacherous enemy. Which was probably what he had done-- at least, in his mind he had.

"Could you _please_ put me down?" I cried, looking to him in desperation. He sighed woefully.

"Do I have to?"

I scowled, "Yes, please do. This is really sort of…uncomfortable." Sighing once more, Kisshu reluctantly set me down on the stair in front of him. Relieved to have my freedom (and my composure) back, I exhaled sharply and started up the stairs in an awkward march. Kisshu followed behind me, easily keeping with my pace without copying my antics. I swear he could be like a ghost sometimes, the way he could walk and breathe so quietly, and how he could keep a fast pace without breaking a sweat. He was a strange individual, to say the least.

"What?" he inquired, eyeing my agitated face and uptight posture.

"What do you mean, 'what'? You just seriously invaded my personal boundaries! It's not like I'm your little porcelain doll that you can haul around whenever you want to."

"You get angry with me too easy," he remarked. He was sort of right. I did get mad at him for a lot of things that were probably insignificant. "What I'm trying to say is…loosen up. You're never going to have any fun in life if you don't let go every once in a while."

"Do you really want to hold me that badly?" I retorted. He seemed like he was trying to talk me into 'having fun' for his own personal benefit.

"Mm…well, yes, but that's not the point," said Kisshu, casting me a flirty glance. "What I'm trying to say is that you should try doing something you normally wouldn't do every once in a while. I know I sound kind of preachy right now, but you'd be surprised at the fun you might have if you stretch your comfort zone a little bit."

"Like how?" I asked, going along with his theory. Kisshu tapped his chin thoughtfully and stared up at the ceiling as he walked.

"Like…like how you stuck your tongue out at those maids back there. You have to admit you liked it, right? Doing something like that every once in a while is good for your mental health."

He was right. I did like it. Acting vulgar and stuck-up wasn't something I'd normally do, but I felt good to get it off my back. It gave me a sense of pleasure at stretching my boundaries, like Kisshu had said.

"You're right," I said, pausing for effect. "You are acting really preachy today." Kisshu snickered and satirically rolled his eyes.

Once we were out of the staircase, the light of the hall blinded me momentarily. It quickly passed, however, and I felt myself (once again) being dragged along by Kisshu, who sped up his pace.

"I dare you to keep up," he called back at me playfully, "or I'll carry you again!" The curse inside of me appealed to this little game, and I found myself practically running to keep up with him.

As soon as we reached what would be my room, Kisshu swung open the door dramatically and motioned me inside like a butler to royalty. I was taken aback at the gaudiness of the bedroom. Complete with a four-poster bed, a vanity table, a nightstand, and much more, it was a splendid, yet cozy-looking room.

"All yours to keep!" Kisshu sang. He was obviously proud of his work of impressing me to a stupor.

"I…uh…this is too much--" I stuttered.

"Say no more," Kisshu interrupted. "I told the designers to dress it down." I began to imagine what the room would've looked like in its full glory. The room as it was was already too much to spend on little me.

"You really didn't need to throw money away like this…" I murmured incoherently as I fingered the soft, cottony quilt on the bed.

"Trust me, Kitten," Kisshu scoffed, walking over to my side, "spending money on you is the farthest thing away from wasting it." I took me a moment to register that he was really serious. Looking up at him with a doubtful expression, I muttered a "thanks" and began the task of examining all of the little oils and perfumes in the…I mean, _my_ vanity.

Kisshu sighed blissfully before saying, "Go ahead and get settled. I'll go get you something to eat." Without another word, he exited the room and closed the door behind him.

As soon as he mentioned "eat", I realized how hungry I really was. I bit my lip and tried to shake the image of tender meat and crunchy vegetables from my mind. To distract myself, I began poking around at the various beauty care items in one of the drawers of my vanity.

_Red lip color…skin mask…is that some kind of coconut oil? _I thought to myself. Most of the items were in little parcels or packages. My interest in the makeup failed me when I saw a door leading out of the room. I set down the parcel of coconut-scented balm and walked over to it. I hesitantly pushed it open with a creak. My eyes widened at what I saw.

It was a walk-in closet. Along either side of the walls was lined two rows of dresses, most of them looking quite elegant to my eyes. Some looked obviously too big or two small, but some looked like they would fit. I cautiously walked down the aisle between the two rows, searching through the dresses as I went along. Not long after I began looking did I find just the dress I would want-- a light blue, knee-length one with bell sleeves and gold embroidery. Except for the embroidery, it was a rather simple dress that wouldn't bring too much unwanted attention to myself.

_Come to think of it, where did all of these dresses come from? _I wondered as I search a farther-down rack for a slip. _They seem to be of all different shapes and sizes, so they can't be all new…_

One I found a cream-colored slip that wouldn't show under the dress, I shut the door to the closet and changed clothes. It was a nice feeling, getting out of the one dress I normally wear. I would wash it in my own private stream when it got dirty, but I grew bored of it after a while. Having all of the clothes that were there be called _mine_ was almost overwhelming, a feeling of variety I hadn't had since I was a small child.

The dress, to my relief, fit fairly well. It was a little small on me, but not uncomfortably so. After I was finished with the dress, I slipped on a transparent headdress that looked similar in color to my dress. It ran down past my shoulders and to my back like a veil. Satisfied, I walked out of the closet and looked at myself in the vanity mirror. I was taken aback at how I looked. I never considered myself pretty before, but my reflection in the mirror said otherwise.

_That's right! _I thought to myself, _I have all of the resources here to make myself look really fancy… _

I quickly took a basin of water out from under a side table next to my bed and set it on the vanity. I began working on cleaning my face, scrubbing any dirt or grime off of it. After I was finished, I put the basin back and took out one of the scented oils from the vanity's drawers. I dipped my finger in the smooth mixture and spread a light amount on my face and my neck. I tried to place the scent as I took out a bottle of lip gloss.

_Coconut…banana…no, sweeter than that. _

Finally, as I finished applying the lip gloss, it came to me-- mangoes. I inhaled the scent once more to make sure. Yup. Definitely mangoes. It smelled nice. Once I looked up into the vanity mirror again, though, I couldn't stop looking. I almost looked like a different person. More like a different me. Ichigo was still in there, but Ichigo now looked nicer than she did before. I felt proud of myself…and a little vain at how nice I looked.

I soon heard a quick knock on the door. Turning my head, I politely said, "Come in!" before Kisshu stepped in with a tray loaded with delicious-looking food.

My stomach cramped at the sight of the steaming, hot array of meats, rice, and vegetables. I completely forgot about how I looked until Kisshu stopped mid-sentence, saying, "I hope I'm not--"

He blinked once, twice, and then looked me over like he was seeing the face of God himself. I began to blush, and found myself sputtering out rushed words to break the silence, "Ah, um, well, do I need to take that from you? You can set it right over--"

"Wow…" he interrupted in a dreamy voice, "…you look beautiful." Now my whole body turned hot. I bit my lip and looked at my stocking feet modestly, tapping my toe on the floor behind me and playing with my hair. It then occurred to me that I should probably say thank you.

"Um, thanks," I mumbled. I almost surprised myself at how shy I was acting. You'd think I was Lettuce or something, the way I looked.

Lettuce! I was just at that moment was reminded of her and how she disappeared before I did. I would have to look for her later.

"Kisshu?" I asked hesitantly. Kisshu snapped out of his trance and set the tray of food down on a trunk at the end of my bed.

"Yes?"

"Could you keep a lookout for Lettuce? She disappeared somewhere before I was abducted, so I'm sure she's worried sick about me, as I am about her." I smiled meekly, a gesture that Kisshu returned with a reassuring nod.

"Of course I will, Kitty. Your wish is my command!" he cheerfully said as he walked over and sat down on my bed with much energy. He laid back on it, spread out his arms, and sighed contentedly. Like I said before: _the_ definition of "lovesick fool".

"Are you going to eat?" Kisshu asked, yawning to finish his sentence.

I straightened my posture and replied, "Of course I am! I'm starved!"

"Literally," Kisshu remarked. "This is why I wanted you to stay here. I'm guessing you found the room to be to your liking?" I sat down with the tray of food next to him on the bed. I picked up a piece of fresh bread from the tray and took a bite. It tasted like heaven. I smiled and nodded enthusiastically, swallowing my food before saying anything.

"Yes, but I'm wondering where you got all of the dresses in the closet from. They're all different sizes, so they can't be new, right?"

"You're correct," Kisshu replied, shutting his eyes and looking relaxed. "I collected all of the different articles of clothing from the maids. Actually, I've had this room for a while now. A few of my previous women have stayed here before you came along." The feeling of the room being specially for me disappeared at the thought of it being rented out to various ladies that Kisshu would court. My face visibly fell and I let out a little "oh" before returning to my food. Kisshu sensed my depression and cracked open one eye.

"What?" he asked. "You seem sad all of a sudden."

"Well, actually, I kind of am," I confessed, staring at my food. "Having your own room isn't quite the same as having a room that's been used many times before by other girls."

I realized after I said that that I was being rather selfish. Here I was, with all I could ever want in the world, and I was complaining about it being used before. How horrible was _that? _Before I could apologize, Kisshu replied, "So you're jealous, then?"

I lifted my head. "Huh?"

"You're sad because other girls I used to court stayed here as well. You want this all to yourself, right?" He smirked as he remarked, "Actually, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you're jealous 'cause you want _me _all to yourself!"

Okay, Kisshu was now officially deemed "The Arrogant Mind-Reader"

"N-no way!" I shot back. "I mean, I really want the room to myself and all, but _you_? You're getting a bit too cocky there!"

Kisshu sat up and grinned at me, singing, "Jealous, jealous! I-chi-go's jealous!" I forced a scowl over my laughing face and, with a mighty push, shoved Kisshu off of the bed and onto the floor with a tumble. Served him right. I covered my mouth with one hand to stop myself from laughing like a fool. Kisshu, catching onto the game, righted himself and protested, "Surprise attacks don't count!"

"And that's coming from someone who's picking a fight with the Sultan!" I argued back, smirking triumphantly and crossing my arms. Kisshu's face took on the same sort of look that he gave me before he carried me up the staircase: one of an "evil plan". I uncrossed my arms and looked worried when Kisshu eyed me warily and tensed his shoulders. Then, within the next moment, he sprang off the ground like a giant cat and crashed into me, upsetting the tray of food onto both of us.

I had sauce dribbling down my dress. I could feel various vegetables in my lap. My face was sticky with brown rice. All of this added up as I glared at Kisshu, who also had food splattered all over him. At the moment, though, he was leaning over me, pinning me down to the comforter of my bed. Another awkward position.

"Kisshu…" I warned him, "…get off me."

Kisshu only smiled down at me and said, "Surprise!" before leaning in and kissing me. Surprise attack, indeed.

o0o0o0o


	11. A Search Begins

(A.N./ Whew! Last chapter must've really sucked, because no one reviewed! xD Hey, no problem, though. I'll keep on plowing through this story anyway! Oh, by the way, I just moved to a new laptop I got and I'm trying to adjust to the keyboard. Because of this, I might have a little more typos here and there from my clumsy typing. If you spot any, don't hesitate to say so, because that's how I improve!)  
_---  
Panic at the thought of doing a thing is a challenge to do it._

_- Henry S. Haskins_  
_---_

Kisshu was an "arrogant mind-reader". He was also an "arrogant mind-reader with no self-control". To think he had the wits to kiss me _again_. Granted, the kiss made my heart swell up, and it made me feel like I could float above the clouds and fly like a bird. Yeah, that bad. About five seconds in "heaven" was what it took for me to regain my composure and gather the courage to slam my knee into Kisshu's stomach. He jumped back from me and hit his head on one of the posts of the bed whilst doing so. He was sure to have a bruise in the morning.

"Ow…" he groaned, rubbing his head, "That was mean, Kitten."

"Well that was stupid!" I argued. "Remember what I said the first day we met? You don't just go around kissing people!"

"Sure, but I've gotten to know you now," said Kisshu, "and you were just too cute to resist!"

"Yeah, right!" I snapped, turning red in the face. "And there's also this thing called sexual harassment!"

"And there's another thing called showing a little love," Kisshu answered smugly, a smirk curling his lips. At a loss for a reply, I simply rolled my eyes and looked down at my dress.

"Well now you've gone and gotten all kinds of stuff on my dress. I look like a walking buffet." Kisshu snickered and picked a piece of diced green pepper out of his hair.

"You look like a buffet? I think I have enough food in my hair to feed me for the rest of the day!"

"Just get out and let me change!" I groaned, standing up and brushing wasted food off of my lap. Kisshu, still wearing a giddy sort of face, got up from the bed and began humming another little tune as he brushed food off of himself. I recognized the tune as being one that I grew up with-- "You Are My Sunshine". As Kisshu hummed, I began to sing along with the tune, adding the lyrics.

"…_you make me happy _

_When skies are grey…" _

Kisshu looked at me with mild surprise as he continued to hum and I continued to sing.

"…_you'll never know, dear, _

_How much I love you. _

_Please don't take my sunshine away."_

Kisshu cocked an eyebrow and remarked, "You're a good singer." Ignoring the compliment (which wasn't entirely true), I frowned and thought about the song. It was one I hadn't heard in years, and it brought back old questions with it.

"Why is it so sad at the end?" I asked curiously. Kisshu returned my perplexed look.

"I don't know," he said after a few moments of thinking. "The last line says 'Please don't take my sunshine away' so I'm guessing that the person it talks about is being abducted or something."

Our little episode with the food was momentarily forgotten as we contemplated the quaint little childhood song.

"Or maybe the person is running away," I suggested. "It says 'you'll never know, dear, how much I love you', so it's like the one singing is trying to convince the person that they're singing to that they love them a lot. The one singing doesn't want the person to leave and take their 'sunshine' with them." Kisshu looked impressed, causing me to swell with newfound pride.

"That's insightful. I've never thought of it that way. I always thought of it as being a mother singing to a child, but I guess it could apply to other people, too…" his voice trailed off as he stared off into space at the direction of the door. I knew what he was implying, and I knew what he was thinking about. My interpretation of the song fit the story of Kisshu trying to convince me to stay with him and come closer to him. I was the one running away and taking my sunshine with me.

_To think, _I thought woefully, _I probably won't even feel a thing for him by the time this week is over. Poor guy. Poor _me.

Kisshu snapped out of his trance and shook his head like a dog, like he was ridding himself of some thought or idea that he didn't like. He looked up at me with a grin and said, "Don't take my sunshine away, Ichigo."

Yeah, I thought so.

After that, he stood up and walked out the door, closing it behind him whilst humming a line of the song. I thought out the lyrics in my head to the tune he hummed. It was the line that went:

_You'll never know, dear, how much I love you…_

I cringed. Maybe I had dug myself deeper into Kisshu and my relationship, deeper than what was wise. Like what Kisshu had done, I tried to shake the thought out of my head, to keep it away. I didn't want to think about the future, so I tried not to. To distract myself, I walked into the closet and began picking through the dresses once more.

_To gaudy, too big, too small, too short…_

Finally I came upon a light, draping sort of dress, white in color with touches of purple on the ends of the sleeves and the hem. But once I tried it on and looked at myself in the mirror, I found that it was rather low-cut on me. I wondered which maid previously owned the dress, and when she actually used it. A few disturbing images came across my mind, and they ultimately led me to wondering: is Kisshu a virgin? If he had several girls stay in his house before, anything could've happened. I would only hope that he would have the decency to be safe instead of…well, you know.

Though Kisshu was annoying and a bit perverted sometimes, he still had his good points, so he seemed smart enough not to pull a stunt like sleeping with his maids or anything. He wasn't serious or short-tempered like Masaya or Ryou. He was more childish and playful, yet he did care about my well-being like it was his own. In addition to that, he was intelligent enough to lead an army (even if he was a figurehead). But he did have his flirty moments, _passionate_ moments. In addition to the "not playing safe" factor, he was, I admitted to myself…handsome, if not downright _sexy_.

Mentally scolding myself for appraising Kisshu, I turned my attention back to the mirror I was looking in. _Shake the thought out, shake it out…_

I turned left, then right. The dress in question looked actually rather form-fitting and pretty on me (if I did say so myself), but only if it didn't dip so low…

To solve the problem, I stepped back into the closet and took out a thick, white cloak that tied in the front and had a hood draped in the back. Actually, it was, in ways, similar to my old cloak. The only real difference was that this one was white, less beat up, and was thicker in fabric so that it would conceal the top of my dress. Just the ticket.

I then began to wonder what I should do next. Even though Kisshu gave such a strict order to the maids to keep away, I was still scared of the image in my mind of the maids dragging away my bloody corpse, never to be seen again. Kisshu was on the lookout for Lettuce, and he would probably send a whole search party out looking for her if it would make me happy to see her back. I trusted him to see that she was safe and consoled over my disappearance. Eventually I decided that I should take the window out, and go on a hunt for Pudding. I still hadn't been able to find her after all of this time, and I was beginning to miss the slightly annoying ball of energy that she was.

With that decided, I got up on the windowsill, poised to spring, and looked at my distance. Luckily, I was on the second story, so I wasn't too high off the ground, but there was still a windowsill below me. I carefully, cautiously, lowered myself onto the surface of the windowsill and hopped down. Once on the ground, I pulled my hood up over my head and began my search.

The day, to my surprise, was rather cool for the time in the afternoon. Light, wispy clouds floated overhead. A light wind picked up from the east. A perfect Pudding-hunting day, I thought. It was the perfect day for performing: not too hot or muggy, but cool and refreshing, almost like an early taste of winter.

The traffic in the streets was rather heavy, as I expected. It seemed that everyone agreed with me concerning the weather. Those who weren't shopping were out for a stroll by themselves or with family. This was both good and bad. It was good because heavy traffic increased the chances of Pudding performing. It was bad because it would be hard to pick her out in a crowd if it was noisy and she was quiet.

_Come on, Pudding, make some noise… _I thought. Not two minutes after my silent prayer did I hear a shrill noise like a whistle from a few streets to my side. A smile crept up my face and I cheered to myself.

Running down the streets of the city, I couldn't help but glace up Main Street to Ryou's bakery. I'm forever glad that I did, too, because I immediately noticed that something wasn't right. The door was closed. There wasn't any smoke or sign of an oven burning. This seemed very strange to me because, if he was just out to deliver something or run some errands, he would usually leave the door open and the oven on. Yet, if he was visiting relatives or going on a trip, he would've told me.

Curious and concerned, I went at a brisk pace towards the bakery.

_Sorry, Pudding. You'll have to wait._

I cautiously pushed open the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. Looking around the room, I noticed the lack of delicious aromas and heavenly scents. Instead, the room seemed bland, dead almost. There was no sign of life apart from some spiders in their usual cobwebs in the corners. The room was not dusty, though. Neither was anything missing or broken in the room.

_Strange… _I thought, peering in the back room. _I wonder where he went._

I thought about what possibilities there were for where he went. Maybe he was abducted. Murdered? Of course not! That wasn't possible…right? I began to grow more and more worried as the seconds ticked by.

I finally made up my mind to find Pudding and ask her for help in finding Ryou. That way, it would be like killing two birds with one stone. Pudding would be willing to help. I knew that.

It wasn't hard to find the place where I first heard the whistling noise, because another whistle went off when I neared the correct street. I approached the entrance to an alleyway between two buildings. There, Pudding had some kind of show going on with these cone-like objects she was holding.

"That's right, na no da, you get one whistler for a very small price, na no da! All yours to keep, na no da!" She handed out the whistlers to people and said, "Thank you for your payments, na no da! I'll be sure to make more later, na no da! But for now, na no da, I'm gonna ask for a volunteer, na no da!"

That was it: my opportunity. I got through the crowd with some difficulty and raised my hand, yelling, "Over here, Pudding! It's Ichigo!" Luckily, she heard me. Her face brightened when I caught her eyes.

"Ichigo! It's good to see you, na no da! Come on up here, na no da!" I shuffled my way through the parting crowd and up to where Pudding was performing-- an old, tall boardwalk that ran along the side of the street. Pudding helped me up (strong girl) and gasped lightly at my appearance.

"Wow, Ichigo, you look really pretty, na no da!" she squealed. I laughed nervously and spoke in a hushed tone, embarrassed over Pudding's outburst in front of a crowd.

"Well, I'm staying over at Kisshu's house right now, and he really helped me out--"

"Kisshu's, na no da?" Pudding exclaimed. "It's about time you two hooked up, na no da!" I didn't dare turn around, but I could imagine the looks on the faces of the crowd. I could picture their mocking smiles, some embarrassed for me. I could even hear their snickers, though those weren't imaginary; I could really hear some people snickering behind me. I must've been as red as a beet, too, because Pudding took one look at my face before whispering, "Oops. Sorry, na no da."

"No, it's fine. Just get on with it," I whispered meekly. Pudding took no hesitation to lead me over to a large, long box behind her. Gesturing towards it, she spoke to the crowd once more.

"Here is an ordinary box, na no da. This lovely young lady here will step inside the box, na no da, and I'll saw through the box, na no da! But never fear, na no da, because she will come out completely unharmed, na no da!"

Great, this trick. I hated this trick. I'd done it once or twice with Pudding before, but I never did like it. It always made me feel sick to my stomach when I laid in the box. Of course, I never told Pudding that. It was her favorite trick to perform-- mostly because it was such a crowd-pleaser. And that was probably why she was performing it now. Now I regretted never confessing my hate for it.

Once I had stepped in the box and laid down, Pudding closed the lid over me. Being in the box made me feel anxious and restless, like I needed to get out and stretch. The feeling was similar to the one I had when I was stuck in Kisshu's closet that one time. What was the name of it, again?

It barely seemed like a minute before Pudding opened the lid again and helped me out, yelling, "Tada, na no da! Completely unharmed, na no da!" The crowd clapped and cheered at the act. I stepped out of the box and waved to the crowd, smiling politely.

"Alright, na no da, that's it for the day, na no da!" Pudding declared. "Thanks for watching, everyone!" The crowd began to gradually disperse at this, a few "aww"s following the dismissal. I turned to Pudding and gave her a hug.

"I'm really sorry about what happened the other day," I said. "I just kind of abandoned you. It was very rude of me."

"No problem-o, na no da!" Pudding said, smiling. "I just kind of talked with Kisshu a bit more, na no da. He's a nice guy, na no da, so I'm glad you guys are getting together, na no da!"

"We-we're not really 'together', Pudding," I replied, laughing nervously. "I'm just kind of staying with him for a while.

"Anyway, I'd like to ask you a favor. Could you help me look for my friend, Ryou Shirogane? He's gone missing from his bakery."

"Oooh! You mean the Aroopeenin-looking guy with the blonde hair like mine, na no da, that runs the bakery on Main Street, na no da?"

"European, Pudding," I corrected. "And, yes, that guy. I can't seem to find him. Could you help me?"

"Sure thing, na no da!" Pudding chirped. She immediately sprang off the boardwalk and walked up to a random person, pulled him backwards by his coat, and asked, "Have you seen Mr. Ryou anywhere, na no da?"

"Um, no." The man turned from Pudding and picked up his pace into a brisk walk away from her.

_Typical Pudding, _I thought.

"Pudding!" I called. "Try asking people _nicely_ about if they've seen the man who runs the bakery on Main Street." Pudding nodded enthusiastically and dove off into the crowd. I watched as she caught the attention of another guy by stepping in front of him, cutting off his walk, and asking, "Have you seen Mr. Baker from Main Street?" I smiled and shook my head sympathetically. Heck, she was doing her job.

I began asking people about Ryou as well. Unfortunately, I wasn't getting much results. I got two or three people who noticed that Ryou was gone, but no one knew where to. I was beginning to be discouraged when Pudding dragged a bewildered-looking young man in my direction, calling, "Ichigo! This guy knows something, na no da!" I laughed nervously and shook the man's hand.

"I'm sorry about this, sir."

"Oh, it's no trouble," the man insisted, smiling sheepishly. "I am a regular customer at the Main Street bakery. Just this morning, I saw the owner walk out of the building wearing a dark cloak and a suspicious look on his face. I was curious, so I followed him. He walked down a block, then turned into an alley and went through a basement door. I didn't follow him further than that."

"Thank you very much," I said, bowing, "but could you tell me where the door is located?"

"It's in the alleyway between the inn and the carpenter's shop. Do you know where that is?"

"Is it the inn that has all of the grass growing tall on the rooftop?"

"That's the one."

"Yes, I do." I smiled and bowed once more. "Thank you very much, sir."

"You are very welcome, miss. If you intend on following the baker, then please be careful."

"I will, thank you." With that, the young man took his leave. Pudding looked up at me enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"It's like a fairytale mystery, na no da! We have to interrogate suspects, na no da, look for evidence, na no da, and go to the scene of the crime, na no da!" She took my hands and hopped up and down in excitement. "It's an adventure, Ichigo! Let's get going, na no da!" To tell the truth, I was actually rather scared of what was behind the door the man spoke of. Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything good since Ryou had to wear a dark cloak before heading in. But what was it, then?

"Ah, well, it's almost dark, Pudding!" I insisted, gesturing toward the sky. "Let's wait 'till later."

"No way, na no da! The victim might be dead by morning, na no da!" I hated to admit it, but she was right. Something bad could've happened to Ryou if we waited any longer. "Now c'mon, na no da!" Pudding grabbed my wrist and pulled me in the wrong direction.

"Pudding, why don't you let me lead?" I offered. Pudding looked at me blankly, smiled, and nodded.

"'kay, na no da."

With the sun setting overhead, I led Pudding along with me as we marched off to the direction of the alleyway. There awaited a secret that would complicate my life-- and other lives-- even further. There awaited the East Thief's Alliance.  
---


	12. An Unfortunate Conflict

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Okay, I've been typing like a maniac lately because I did some math and figured out that I'm not releasing these chapters quick enough to finish this story before I leave for boarding school. So I think I'm going to pick up the pace and update more quickly than every Monday. Narrator?

**Narrator**: Two boys are left to confess, but how will Ichigo handle a conflict between two armies with a similar schedule? Will she be able to help both sides, or will she betray one of her friends?

**Rizu**: Enjoy, everyone!)

---  
_"To him that you tell your secret you resign your liberty."  
_

__

-Anonymous  
---

The sky was already an indigo-blue by the time Pudding and I arrived at the door in the alleyway. As we approached the door, I pulled Pudding aside and said in a hushed whisper, "Now, Pudding, we have to be very stealthy and quiet, or they'll kick us out, okay?"

"Got it, na no da," Pudding replied with a nod.

"Kick us out" sounded like the best child-friendly way to explain the possibilities of what might've happened to us when we stepped through that door. In reality, we very well could've been beaten, raped, killed…the chances were endless. It sent shivers up my spine just thinking about it. Still, I bravely marched down the steps leading to the door and opened it. I stepped in, hurried Pudding in, and shut the door behind us.

We were in a well-lit hallway. That was a good sign. There were elegant-looking oil lamps hanging above our heads. What I noticed about them, though, was that they were covered in cobwebs like they hadn't been dusted in years. This was both mysterious and disgusting at the same time. Pudding looked impressed too, as I could tell by her deep breathing behind me. We both carried along the halls, observing the rustic scenery around us. Every once in a while, we'd see another person in the halls. When we did, we hid behind a door or around the corner until they passed.

We continued like this, watching and dodging, for what seemed like about half an hour before I finally saw him. Ryou was briskly walking in one of the halls, his hood pulled over his face. I would've never recognized him if it wasn't for his bright blue eyes and blonde hair that stuck out like a sore thumb. Barely even thinking, I walked over to him, pulled him by the back of his cloak, and pulled him around the corner. He barely had time to hiss, "What are you--" before I had pinned him against the wall. I was actually feeling rather proud of my stealth. Ryou gave me the same sort of look that Kisshu gave me when he saw my makeover, the one where his eyes bugged out and his face went stone-cold.

"What happened to _you_?" was his exclamation. I scowled. What a splendid compliment.

"Great. Thanks Ryou. Mind telling me what you're doing, lurking around in a dusty old cavern like this?" I spat.

"Mind telling me what _you're _doing here?" Ryou retorted.

"Looking for you!" I hissed. "Do you have any idea how worried I was, you great ape? I was lucky to get some help from Pudding here, and we got a tip from one of your regulars that you had abandoned shop to come down here!

"Before that happened, though, I had stopped by your shop and no trace of life was there. For God's sake, Ryou, I thought you had been abducted or murdered or something! Don't scare me like that!"

Ryou looked at me with a blank, unreadable expression. He blinked twice.

"Well?" I muttered.

"You sound like my mother," he remarked satirically. I groaned. Ryou shut his eyes and looked bored.

"Explain yourself, Ryou."

Ryou looked at me, at Pudding, and back at me.

"You're not going to let me go, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine. But you and the kid have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" I nodded and looked to Pudding, who mimicked my actions and nodded as well. I released Ryou from my grip. He slumped against the wall and ran a hand through his hair.

Ryou sighed and murmured, "Where to begin…"

"Why you're here…why your dressed in a suspicious outfit…why you didn't tell anyone where you went…"

"Okay, I got it," Ryou grumbled, cutting off my speech. "So I heard about this one secret society from one of my close customers. Its name is the Thief's Alliance. It's a sort of cult or organization that opposes monarchy in various countries. It has several different branches, and the one in this country is the East Thief's Alliance. The other seven are located at various parts around the continent: Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia…"

"So why are you here?" I muttered. "Get to the point!"

"Alright." Ryou growled. "I'm here for the same reason everyone else is: I oppose the government and want it taken down. The branch in this country recently proposed an invasion of the palace on an upcoming date. They called for some of the other branches to recruit members, so we're building up a sort of army."

I was taken aback at the coincidental similarities between the invasion Kisshu was organizing and this one. I couldn't tell Ryou about Kisshu's plans, however, because it was supposed to be a secret. I couldn't betray Kisshu's trust and tell Ryou, could I?

"When are you invading?" I asked. Ryou, still wary of my trustworthiness, was slow to reply.

"The day after the next."

_Wait a second,_ I thought, _Isn't the invasion Kisshu is planning taking place at the same time? _

"Oi, Ichigo."

That couldn't be right. I had to be mistaken. That, or there would have to be some kind of logical reason why they were taking place at the same time. The two armies attacking on the same date for no reason? It was completely illogical! I wasn't about to ask Ryou why they were attacking on that date. If I did, he would definitely think something was up. I didn't think I had Ryou's complete trust yet, so I decided not to question any farther.

"Ichigo?"

If I was going to ask Kisshu, though, I would need to mention the alliance, meaning I would betray Ryou's trust. Either way, I would have to go back on a promise with someone. I couldn't leave the dilemma alone. If both Kisshu's army and the Thief's Alliance charged into the palace on the same day unknowingly, they would beat-- even kill-- each other. I didn't want to have Ryou or Kisshu die or surrender their honor because of my mistake.

"Ichigo, are you okay?"

For their own good, I would have to tell on someone…maybe both of them. But what could I do? How could I, Ichigo, stop the two armies from clashing? I didn't know.

"Ichigo, snap out of it!"

I finally awoke from following my train of thought. Staring into Ryou's crystal blue eyes, I blurted out, "Don't do it!"

Ryou hesitated. "What?"

"You can't get involved in the Thief's Alliance! You'll get hurt or killed or something!"

"I'm perfectly capable of this, Ichigo," Ryou insisted. To my utter surprise, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a warm hug. The stupid curse I loathed so much still took its toll, setting off the butterflies in my stomach and making my head feel light. To think, it would all be gone in a matter of days… "I'm only doing what I think is right. Don't worry."

"Okay…" I whispered in a dreamy, airy voice. Ryou sighed and stepped back from me, crossing his arms. His attitude, as I could tell, was back to normal.

"For God's sake, Ichigo, why do you have to be so out of it?" Ryou snapped, casting his eyes down to the floor.

"Well, why do you have to be so…so…" I fought for the right words while trying to make my comeback sound rude. I didn't want Ryou to know that I cared for him more than a friend. "….so…stupid?" Ryou looked at me doubtfully, chucked, and uncrossed his arms.

"Idiot. Look, you should go now. I have work to do."

"Uh, yeah, me too," I said.

"Make sure you aren't seen," Ryou warned. "The door is up the stairs, over there--" he jerked his head to his left, "--and to your right. It should take out you out on the west side of the inn."

"Thanks, Ryou. I'm glad to know you're okay." I smiled up and Ryou while he pulled his hood back over his head (it had previously slipped down amid the argument). With a wave and a goodbye, Ryou picked up his brisk pace once more and started down the hall, his cloak billowing out from behind him with much grandeur.

"I don't like Mr. Ryou," Pudding remarked as we started on our way to the staircase. "He's kinda mean to Ichigo, na no da."

"Well, he's nice if you get to know him," I replied.

As we both ducked behind a corner to avoid a passing person, Pudding whispered, "…and he smells like rotten fish, na no da." I couldn't help but snicker at this remark.

"I didn't smell anything," I whispered back, tip-toeing up the staircase. "Maybe it's just you."

"I don't stink, na no da!"

"I didn't mean that, I meant--"

"Hey, who are you?"

I froze dead at a deep voice that roared from behind Pudding and I. The door out was only a little bit away. I motioned to Pudding and we both took off in a run. "Get back here!" the voice from behind us yelled.

Another voice joined it, yelling, "What's going on?"

I just managed to open the door, get Pudding in, and to shut it behind us.

"Keep running!" I hissed to Pudding. We took off around the side of the building and down another alley. Pudding took the lead, leading me down another street before taking a left, then right.

"Okay," I said, panting and leaning on my knees. "I think we lost them."

"Yup, na no da," Pudding replied cheerfully. "That was some awesome adventure skills there, na no da! We discovered a secret society, na no da! We almost got captured by bad guys, na no da, and we--"

"Okay, Pudding, that's enough," I laughed. "Why don't you head back home? I'd bet your siblings are waiting for you."

"Oh! You're right, na no da!" Pudding exclaimed. "They're probably wondering where I am, na no da! Gotta run, na no da!"

"Goodbye, Pudding!" I called as she took off.

"Bye, Ichigo, na no da!" she yelled in the distance. Running at the speed of light, she was gone.

I let out a long sigh. It was certainly late, and I realized that I was quite tired from the events of the day. The sky above was already being lit with stars. My trek back to Kisshu's and my house seemed short, partly due to my sleepy half-consciousness. I almost walked in a robotic sort of way, only half-aware of the scenery around me. Due to this, I almost didn't realize it when I almost walked into the wrong house.

"Oops," I murmured to myself. I walked around the side of the wrong house and came across to the front of the much larger house next to it-- the house I was staying at. I wondered whether to go in through the door or not, and if I should risk running into threatening persons, or whether to enter through the window and look suspicious doing so. I finally decided on going in through the window. With a bit of strength and a prayer for my agility to kick in, I started up the side of the building.

Like I had noticed when I came down the window earlier, it wasn't hard to get up to my room. The only difficult part was lifting myself onto the windowsill below mine since it was rather high off of the ground. I resorted to jumping, snatching onto it with my hands, and pulling myself high enough so that I could hoist a knee over the edge and climb onto it. Then I would do the same with my sill-- grab, lift, hoist-- until I found myself in my room.

I wiped a bit of sweat off of my forehead and walked over to my closet. Taking off the white, pointed-toe slippers I was wearing, I was about to remove the cloak when I heard the door open.

"Ichigo?"

I recognized two things from the voice. One was that it was Kisshu's. The second was that he was anxious. It wasn't hard to tell. I stepped out of the closet and cast a wary eye towards the door, where Kisshu stepped in and gave me a look like I had just been caught committing a crime.

"Where were you, Ichigo?" he ranted. "I didn't know where in the world you went! For one second you're in the room changing, and the next you disappeared! I thought something bad happened to you!"

My mind raced, trying to think of what to say. _Think, Ichigo, think. How do I calm him down…?_

Suddenly, it came to me. I had to tell him about Ryou, but first…

My inner conscience screamed at me not to do it, but I ignored it partly out of desperation to get Kisshu's full attention and partly because I was still only half-awake.

First, I yawned drowsily, covering my mouth with one hand and trying to look as innocent as possible. Then, I undid the strings tying the front of the cloak and took it off with one sweep, revealing the dress that my conscience hated so much. I hung the cloak up in the closet and lightly stepped over to the bed, where I lay down and hugged my pillow. Calming by cuteness and seduction.

The effect of Kisshu, as I had hoped, was instantaneous. He seemed to soften right up, coming over to the bed and sitting down at the end of it.

"Sorry for snapping at you," he said. "I didn't mean to be so possessive."

I only nodded wearily against the pillow as a reply. "Act sleepy and look cute" was my initial strategy. A few more moments and I spoke in a tired voice.

"Mm…Kisshu?"

"Yes, Kitty?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"So, what if I told you…" I paused to yawn, "…that a friend of mine had a secret, but I needed to tell you that secret because it interfered with your secret…"

"Honey, could you please give details?" Kisshu asked. I sighed.

"Well, it's my friend Ryou, the baker on Main Street. He's a sweet guy, but he recently joined a sort of cult called the Thief's Alliance. I don't like him being there, so I'd like to ask him…" I paused to yawn again, "…if he could come and join your army." Kisshu was silent for a while. His chin rested on his hand as he thought over what I said. After several moments, he narrowed his eyes and raised his head off of his hand.

"I know them, the Thief's Alliance. I've had a few run-ins with them before, and I don't like their attitude at all. They seem to think that they know what's best, and that they're superior to everyone else." Kisshu's eyes fell on me, but they quickly shifted to the floor as he said, "I'm sorry, Ichigo, but I don't think he should join. Besides, our invasion is so close that we don't need the extra help."

"Oh!" I cried, sitting up in bed. "That's right! I forgot to mention, they're attacking the palace on the same day you are!"

"Dirty thieves…" Kisshu muttered. "It's no coincidence. We're both attacking on the same day because it happens to be the anniversary of the Sultan's rule. We both want to take him down on this ceremonial day."

"Well then that's all the more reason to unite forces!" I cried enthusiastically.

Kisshu looked me up and down before mentioning, "Weren't you just too tired to speak?"

Damn. I blew my cover. I just stared Kisshu in the eyes blankly as I pretended not to hear him. Kisshu, seeing he was getting no response from me, sighed, relaxed his face into a tired smile, and murmured, "Alright, I'll think about it. But don't think this means that I'm willing to coexist with those scoundrels. I'm just doing this for your sake."

Relieved and enthusiastic, my face lit up as I cried, "Thank you, Kisshu!" Despite my better judgment, I leant forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Oh, how badly I wanted to aim for his lips instead, but that would be too dangerous. Besides, the kiss on the cheek was enough to make me feel rightly embarrassed and slump back down in my bed. Kisshu touched the place on his cheek where I had kissed him and smirked down at me.

"Well, you have quite the attitude today, Kitten." He bent down and kissed my forehead before getting up off of the bed. "Sweet dreams." He then took his leave, walking out the door to the bedroom.

From the other side of the door, I heard him yelling_, "AL-RIGHT! Hey, Pai! Do you know what Ichigo just did?"_

"_I don't care, Kisshu."_

"_She KISSED me!"_

"_Congratulations. I still don't care."_

I giggled as I heard Kisshu's excited chatter and Pai's dull replies carry down the hallway until I could hear them no more. In a way, I felt happy, _ecstatic_that I had made Kisshu so happy. Just a simple kiss on the cheek had made him so excited. I could only imagine what he was acting like after we exchanged the kiss earlier in the day. He must've been jumping off the walls.

Concerning more important matters, however-- how was I supposed to get Ryou to join Kisshu's army when the day of the invasion was so close? If Kisshu didn't make up his mind fast, then it may put Ryou in serious trouble. I needed to act fast. I had to tell Ryou early…but how would I ever convince him to join Kisshu's army? I would be better off trying to unite the forces of Kisshu's army and the Thief's Alliance than trying to persuade Ryou to quit. But how would I go about doing that?

_What to do, what to do…_

_---_


	13. A Plan That Went Wrong

(A.N./

**Rizu**: Quick update this time! See, I TOLD you I'm typing like a maniac! I'm right in the middle of typing chapter 16 now, so I'm going at a good, fast pace! ^_^

**Narrator**: They deserve it after that one time you didn't update for three weeks...

**Rizu**: (a-HEM!)

**Narrator**: Ichigo hatches a plan to make peace between the two armies! But how will its execution go? Will it work? Or will it go wrong?)

_---  
The shaft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's own plumes. We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction.  
_

_-Aesop_  
---

The sky was clear. The birds were chirping. The people in the streets were bustling about, attending to their chores. The sun beat down on the floor where the sunlight projected from the window.

Wait…the sunlight _beat down_?

I sat up from bed, panicked. I threw the sheets of the bed off of me and dashed to the window. Gazing out, I squinted against the sunlight, observing its position. I cursed my laziness when I made it out to be mid-afternoon. I had slept through the entire morning. Wondering when I had gone to bed in the first place, I dashed into the closet and pulled on a new dress: a white one with a brown, triangle design splashed all around the middle. Slinging a dark, off-black cloak over my shoulder, I shoved on white headdress and slipped on a pair of brown sandals.

Looking down at them, I scowled and wondered when I would be able to go back for my boot I had left in Kisshu's office. There was no way I would abandon my boots. Those boots were serious good luck. I didn't blame them for the Sultan incident. I saw it this way: the boots were good luck because I wasn't beheaded when I faced the Sultan. So, therefore, recovering them was a priority.

I noticed when I stepped out of the closet that there was a tray of breakfast food set out on my vanity. Grateful for the meal, I ate quickly, almost making myself sick.

Once I was fully dressed and ready for travel, I had to make another decision. Take the door out and risk the maids, or take the window and risk a panicked Kisshu. Finally, I decided the door. I couldn't hide from it forever.

I gingerly pulled back on the door and peered out. The hall had a few business-y looking people walking back and forth, but no one that I thought might threaten me. I breathed out a breath of air that I didn't know I was holding,

_I'm acting like a scared mouse, _I thought. _Face your fears!_

Closing the door behind me with a creak, I took up a confident stride walking down the hallway. I figured that I looked more important that way. As I walked, I thought about how scared Kisshu had gotten the last time I disappeared. I figured that I had to let someone know that I was leaving, possibly pass on a message.

My opportunity came when I saw Taruto walking ahead of me, holding a stack of papers.

"Oh! Taruto!" I yelled, picking up my pace toward him. He frowned and shot me an annoyed look.

"It's _Commander _Taruto to you! Whaddya want? I'm kinda in a hurry!"

"Could you tell Kisshu that I'm heading out? He freaked out last time I disappeared."

"Yeah, sure," Tart mumbled, shifting the weight of the papers in his arms. "Now scram."

"Thanks, Commander!" I said, grinning and saluting in a mockingly idiotic way. Taruto scowled.

"Kisshu's rubbing off on you."

"Bye!" I called, walking off in the opposite direction. I heard Taruto snort and mutter something under his breath from behind me.

Now that that was settled, I reviewed the plan I had composed the night before in my head. After Kisshu said that he would "think about" letting the Thieves join the forces, I made up my mind to take action into my own hands. The invasion was tomorrow. We didn't have time to wait or think things through like Kisshu was. He probably would say no anyway, I figured. So that was when I came up with a plan. It would mean betraying Kisshu's trust, but I prayed that he would forgive me. It would also mean going back into the layer of the Thieves. That was the reason why I was carrying the cloak. If I was to disguise myself, I would need to dress darkly and keep my head bowed so no one noticed that there was a woman around. I doubted that the alliance allowed woman into their army, so I assumed that I would stick out in the case that my sex was discovered.

Walking down the hall, I noticed several maids were bustling around with bags, baskets, or piles of cloth. Only a few noticed me, and the ones that did immediately bowed their heads when I made eye contact, like they were scared that they would be punished if they even looked at me. This made me feel guilty about making them feel so bad. I tried to think positively about them. I mean, not _all _of them were bad. They probably had good intentions somewhere. Some of them must've just been following the crowd.

_I'm lucky I'm treated so specially_, I thought, hanging my head. _**I **__should be the one scrubbing the floors._

Once outside, I made haste to the door in the alleyway. There was no time to lose since I overslept. At the doorway, I paused, took a deep breath, and pulled the hood of the cloak over my head. Mustering up my courage, I pulled open the door and stepped in.

The appearance was the same as I remembered it, except it was more crowded. There were quite a few people walking about, which made me nervous. A new variable was realized between me and the people around me: I was incredibly short when compared. I kept my head lowered and my eyes on my feet, glancing upward occasionally to try and find Ryou in the crowd. It would be pure luck if I could run into him. He could've easily been out doing something else, or maybe doing something important in the premises. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to get out of the dark basement of thieves and look to see if Ryou was back at the bakery. But, no, it would be more efficient to check where I was first. I reasoned that if I didn't spot him for twenty minutes of searching, then I would check the bakery.

It was barely five minutes into my searching when a tragic mishap occurred. I was walking along one of the halls when a tall man-- maybe six feet-- bumped shoulders with me roughly. I wasn't sure if this was on purpose or not, but nevertheless I fell to the floor, my hood flying off my head. The man turned at my little yelp. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed me by the back of the cloak, hoisting me up and whirling me around to face him. My eyes wide, I gave him a look of dumbstruck terror. The man I was facing must've been two feet taller than me. I felt like a toddler looking up at a big, scary adult.

"What are you doing here?" he spat. "Women aren't allowed here."

"I-I'm looking for your…uh…leader," I spluttered. "I was s-sent here by someone." Grinning sheepishly, I added between my teeth, "Could you please put me down?" The man grunted and plopped me down on my feet. I brushed off my robes and repeated my question.

"Where is your leader?"

"How do I know you're not a spy?" the man questioned. I hesitated a moment. I didn't really think questions and answers through.

After a moment or two, I replied, "Well, if I was a spy, I'm sure your leader would figure it out and then kill me. He can take me off your hands. So if you don't mind, could I please see your leader?"

The man groaned, pinched his nose, and mumbled, "Alright. Follow me."

Obediently, I followed him. I made sure to pull the hood of the cloak back over my head before I did, so as not to cause a scene.

Several minutes later, we arrived at a large stone doorway with a bright-colored curtain hanging in front of it. The man leading me pushed me inside ahead of him.

"I'm very sorry for the disturbance, Master, but I encountered this _female _who claims to represent someone. She asked for your attention when I caught her snooping around and trying to blend in with us."

The room the man had pushed me into was actually rather small. It had books lining all of its walls, stacked in shelves up to the ceiling. Some of the shelves had books, some scrolls, some loose parchment. In the middle of the room, sitting on a cushion at a low desk, was a man in a dark cloak. No surprise there. The man at the desk looked up at me and smiled.

"Come, sit," he offered, patting the floor next to him. I was shocked by his gentle face and kindly attitude. Brown bangs hung over his eyes, which were a steel blue. Bloodshot, they were. He looked like he hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. I tentatively took the seat next to him, folding my legs under me and kneeling. My sweating hands folded on my lap, I awaited judgment.

"You are dismissed," said the thief master to the tall man I had followed. The tall man nodded and exited the room.

"Now, tell me," started the thief master, keeping his eyes glued to some kind of ancient manuscript, "why are you here, miss? This is no place for a lady."

I took a deep breath and began, speaking slowly and deliberately. "I am representing Pr--…I mean, Sir Kisshu. If you weren't already informed, he is running an operation to overtake the government, similar to your goals. Ironically, you are both attacking the palace on the same date: the date of the anniversary of the Sultan's rule. Due to this conflict, Sir Kisshu wishes that you unite your forces and fight together as one on the day of attack."

I stopped. A well-delivered speech, if I said so myself. I felt proud that I was able to go through it without messing up. Except for the "Sir" part. I almost let "Prince" slip since I'd heard it so often.

It was a few long minutes of silence before the thief master answered.

"I apologize for the offensiveness of the question, but how old is Sir Kisshu, pray tell?"

I bit my lip and kept my mouth shut. He didn't need to know anything that would make his decision a negative one, and that included Kisshu's age. A fifteen year-old ruling would not appeal to him at all, and would encourage him not to consider the bargain.

"Would Sir Kisshu, then, take the Sultan's place?"

I answered with a strong "Yes."

"I will think about it," the thief master said, dipping his feather into a bottle of ink. "In the meantime, please, stay here and await my decision." I obeyed, only shifting my legs so that they were in a more comfortable position. And there I sat, wondering why so many leaders have to "think about" things so much.

I waited.

And I waited.

And I waited some more.

My back and bottom grew sore from sitting from so long. I had to shift my legs every ten minutes or so. I was getting tired. I had been there for what seemed like…two hours? Three? They were the longest hours of my entire life. I was so bored that I resorted to counting the books on the bookshelf. Occasionally I would speak up, asking, "Have you made your decision?" I would only be answered with a "Shhh."

_This was a mistake_, I thought sourly. _This guy's going to keep me here for as long as I live._

Finally, after the long, long wait, the thief master actually did something. He raised his head to the doorway and sharply stood up, stalking across the room and out the curtain. I wondered if I should follow him out.

That was when I heard it. Yelling and crashing coming from the hallways. Over the commotion I heard a distinguishable voice.

"_YOU WILL TELL ME WHERE ICHIGO IS! __**NOW**__!"_

It was Kisshu. My eyes grew as wide as saucers, my heart sped up, and my mind began to whirl.

_No, no, no…it's all falling apart._

Talk about miserable timing! Here I was, trying to negotiate a peace treaty, and Kisshu comes after me and starts whacking down the people I'm trying to make a treaty _with_. It was miserable luck, and I knew I was doomed. I had to do something. But what?

I had to get out of the room, for one. I stood up and made my way towards the doorway. Before I could get out, though, someone else stepped in. On closer inspection, I saw it was Ryou.

"Ryou!" I said, "You've got to help me! Please, we have to find Kisshu!"

"Ichigo, wait," Ryou murmured, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Don't go out there. It's really messy. You'll get hurt."

"Ryou, now isn't the time for this!" I called, trying to edge my way around him. "I need to find him!"

"Listen to me, Ichigo," Ryou muttered, placing a hand on the side of my face. I gasped lightly at his warm touch and met his eyes. They were a watery blue, slightly glossy-looking and full of emotion. "Ichigo, I can't believe I never realized it, but I love you. Please, don't leave." My jaw hung open slightly, and I broke eye contact to look at the floor, my face heating up tremendously.

_Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, _I thought to myself. _This is a disaster. This is the worst timing EVER. _

"Ryou, you have to understand," I pleaded. "I really need to find him! Please, I need to go!" Ryou sighed sadly and looked in the other direction.

"If you're sure." I was mildly shocked, not only at Ryou's sudden confession, but his overall attitude. The Ryou I knew usually didn't act all sentimental and dreamy.

I thanked him quietly, patted him on the shoulder, and bolted out the door.

_Sorry, Ryou, _I thought, _but right now I really need to find Kisshu, or this whole place will be torn apart by his rampage. _

It wasn't far from the door that I began to encounter the combat. I tried to avoid any large crowds or suspicious figures. I kept my hood down so any of Kisshu's soldiers could recognize me and possibly take me to him. However, such a lucky thing never came to me. I was left dodging in and out of the battlefield, searching desperately for one person among the chaos.

Swords were swinging, people were yelling, and I came across one or two bodies. I tried not to look, keeping my eyes on the face of anyone who wasn't dressed in a dark cloak.

"Kisshu!" I began to yell, calling through the crowd. "Kisshu! KISSHU!"

As I skidded around a corner into a narrow hallway, I saw who I was looking for, Kisshu, in a sword lock with one of the thieves.

"Kisshu!" I yelled, taking a step forward.

Kisshu looked at me with a panicked glance and called back, "Ichigo! I've finally found you!" He took another whirl at the thief, but ended up slashing at air as the thief scaled the narrow walls, using his hands and feet to brace himself close to the ceiling.

"Found me? More like found you! You must've brought half of your army!" I yelled back.

Kisshu smirked, regaining his humor, and scoffed, "Pht. This isn't a fourth of it." The thief, positioning the dagger in a free hand, positioned it over Kisshu's head while he spoke.

"Above you!" I warned. Kisshu looked up just in time to jump to the side before the thief came plunging down. Before he had time to stand up, Kisshu used the blunt of his sword to club him over the head. The thief fell to the floor unconscious. I was about to congratulate him on his swordsmanship before I was tackled in a hug. Kisshu held me tight and breathed in my scent, saying, "For God's sake, Ichigo, why'd you run off again?"

"I-I told Taruto that I was leaving! He said that he'd pass the message on to you!"

"Taruto?' Kisshu asked, pulling back from the embrace. "He left this afternoon for a conference with a large family."

"Well I guess he forgot," I muttered bitterly, scowling.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Kisshu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Talking with a friend," I replied calmly. "Remember the one I told you about?"

"Oh," Kisshu said. "So this is all a misunderstanding?"

"I guess so. Let's get out of here."

We were barely out of the narrow hallway when my worst fear was realized. The thief master that had me in that room earlier was stalking towards us, his dark cloak billowing out from behind him.

"I demand to know what's going on!" he yelled. "Why are you attacking us when you wanted to join forces?"

"We were just trying to rescue this girl here," Kisshu said, hugging me close. "I didn't say anything about joining forces!"

"'That girl' just told me that you sent her to request that we join forces!"

That was the end of Kisshu's and my trust. Kisshu had figured me out for sure. I wondered what he would do with me. The thief master didn't look happy, either. Maybe Kisshu would let him beat me up.

The thief master looked angry. Kisshu looked confused. I was doomed.


	14. A Complication and Preparation

(A.N./ Chapter 14 is up and running! I'm going to a sleepover at my cousin's house [same cousin who wrote TCHFoF] and I won't be updating again until next weekend, so this is it until then. Enjoy!)  
_---_

_All people want is someone to listen._

_-Hugh Elliott_

_---_

I was frozen and as unmoving as a rock. My mouth felt dry. My throat was choked, free of words. I couldn't explain myself out of this one. I knew it. They knew it. I had lied, and maybe had cost both armies a few lives in the process. 'Humiliation' is even too weak a word to describe the empty feeling that was deep in my stomach.

With all of the courage I could gather in my weak state, I looked up to Kisshu with pleading eyes and mouthed the word, _"Mercy." _

Kisshu seemed to understand. He drew a deep breath, faced the master, and said, "There seems to have been a misunderstanding here." With a sweep of his arms, he bowed low before the master and asked, "Please, it would be an honor to fight alongside you and your clan in the invasion. I humbly ask your service, sir."

I was relieved. Overjoyed. Ecstatic. Kisshu had saved me. A giant weight came off of my chest, and I let out a long breath. It slowly crept back onto me when I thought about it more, though. I would still have to face Kisshu and explain to him about my sinister behavior. The more I thought about it, the more the awful choking feelings came back.

A few moments of silence. Then, the master bowed before Kisshu as well, saying, "I humbly accept your offer. We would be delighted to fight alongside you tomorrow." Kisshu and the master raised from their bows and shook hands.

"Please, could you call off your army?" the master said, smiling in like a true gentleman. "They're making quite a mess of my brothers."

"Oh, right," Kisshu muttered with a sheepish grin, "Right away. Sorry about this."

"No trouble," the master replied. "I am glad that we have more backup for our invasion."

"As so am I," Kisshu replied. Taking my hand, he murmured, "Come on," to me and pulled me along with him as he went to search for his commanders.

It wasn't long before we ran into one. He was rather disheveled-looking, his blonde hair ragged and sticking up at odd ends. Once he got the message, he began yelling, "Fall back! Fall back!" as he patrolled the halls. Two or three more were caught up with in the next minute or two before we found Pai.

"You're calling them back," he remarked. "They're already beginning their march out. I heard from all of the commanders."

"Good," Kisshu said. "Make sure that all parts of this labyrinth hear it. We don't want anyone left behind. Also, I just made a treaty with their master that they are to join forces with us on the day of the invasion." Pai looked taken aback for a moment as we began to walk along the halls to the north door.

"With all due respects, isn't that immediate decision a bit…rash?"

"They're able fighters, Pai," Kisshu argued. "They could be of great help. They're rather large in number, too."

"_Were _rather large in number," Pai corrected. Kisshu blinked.

"That bad?"

"Well, not exactly." Pai looked like he was tired and a bit anxious as he continued, "The enemy fatality count is staying within about two dozen, so it's not that bad. None of our soldiers have reported fatalities from our side, just critical injuries."

"Very good, very good." Kisshu nodded and drew a short, brisk breath. We had just got out into the open again. It was already quite dark, dark enough so that my eyes had to adjust to the light. How long had I been in the master's house anyway?

"Pai?" Kisshu said, breaking the silence between us three. "Would you mind leading the troops back to the house? I have to hang behind for a little bit more." Pai's eyes flickered from Kisshu, to me, and back to Kisshu. I gulped. Hard.

"Yes, of course," Pai replied, bowing. He turned and yelled into the troops with a loud bellowing voice, "March back to base! Left two rows, take 3rd street! Right three rows, take 7th street! Middle rows follow me! FORWARD, MARCH!" I was amazed at how well Pai could project his voice. _He wouldn't make a bad military leader himself, _I thought. _Of course, Kisshu just inherited the job._

Speaking of Kisshu, I knew that I was really in for it when he told Pai to take over. It meant that he was serious about getting alone time with me, even if it meant sending the whole army away so we would be the only two left. I bit my lip and looked at the ground, shuffling my foot back and forth. After a few minutes, Kisshu heaved a huge sigh. I figured that this was indicating that it was time to confront him.

"Ichigo, could you please look at me?" Kisshu murmured. I hesitantly looked up at him. His gold eyes contrasted to the night around him, shining more brilliantly then ever. I couldn't look away from his gaze as he kept going, saying, "I have every reason to be angry. What you did wasn't right. You lied to me and to the Thieves." He paused, broke eye contact, and stared at the ground. "But I'm not angry. I know why you did what you did, and I'm okay with it. You have your reasons. Granted, I'm not a push-over, and you shouldn't get yourself into so much trouble…"

I cut him off by bowing at his feet in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! A million times thank you--"

"Ichigo?" Kisshu said, stooping down. "Hey, don't do that." I looked up as he took hold of my chin and looked me in the eyes with a smile. "Bowing is for my servants, m'love, not you." I nodded, wide-eyed, and took his outstretched hand to help me up.

He had let me off the hook! I was so overjoyed! I wasn't yelled at or anything…except for that little talk. The only other thing to contrast with my happiness was the fact that he called me "m'love". Ryou confessed his to me earlier, and I came close to breaking his heart. I could tell when I saw his hurt expression. I ignored him because I had to find Kisshu to stop the chaos. Kisshu was the last one to confess, and his title of "m'love" came dangerously close. I prayed that Kisshu would have the restraint to wait until the Sultan was dead or the curse was gone before he would try.

Kisshu and I walked back to the house in silence. The bright stars shone above us, creating pictures in the sky. I kept my head craned upwards as I walked, looking for constellations. My parents had shown some of them to me before. I tried to remember all of them, but I could only find one or two.

I gave up when my neck started to get sore. I lowered my head, resting my strained neck. That was when we walked by an alleyway, where my eyes caught on some words on a poster. They read "The Marriage of Prince Masaya". I stopped walking and walked over to tear off the poster. Curiously, Kisshu followed me. I read the poster aloud, my face falling with every word.

"'…the marriage will take place on the 28th of September to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Sultan's rule'-- Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" From behind me, Kisshu let out a little snicker.

"Well!" he said, "Not only will we be taking over the government, we're going to crash prissy boy's wedding!"

I froze still. Pivoting my head towards Kisshu, I spat, "People have feelings, Kisshu!" Kisshu looked taken aback.

_Good, _I thought_. Here I am, trying to wrap my mind around Masaya's wedding being ruined, and Kisshu goes and makes jokes about it. He should feel guilty._

"I…I thought you hated Masaya!" Kisshu said, confused. I shook my head, falling into a distressed sadness.

"Masaya is one of the kindest people I have ever met. It's a shame that his special day has to be ruined. Besides, I need to tie up some loose ends with him after our little misunderstanding. I was really mean to him, and I never said sorry." I moaned and massaged my forehead with one hand. Kisshu took the poster from the other and read it over himself. "I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to talk to him again. I don't want to go to the invasion. It would be too much."

Kisshu sighed, nodded, and crumpled the poster in his hands. "I'm sorry, Kitten, but I can't do anything about it. The invasion is tomorrow. I can't suspend it now, after all of the planning. It has to happen." I nodded slowly and quietly.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Kisshu asked.

"Sure," I confirmed.

"It's a pity," Kisshu mumbled, continuing on his walk back to the house. "I was really hoping you would be there…you know, when I was crowned Sultan and all…"

"Sorry," I said sympathetically, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll do great." I smiled sadly at him, and he gave a weak smile back.

Of all the rotten timing. It was too much. Why did everything have to happen on the anniversary of the Sultan's rule? It was no fair! I wouldn't be able to sit there and watch as the soldiers ruined the wedding, but I felt so guilty for not being there when Kisshu becomes Sultan.

My train of thought came to a halt.

_Wait…today is the fifth day since I was cursed, right? If so, the invasion is on the sixth. That means that, if they kill the Sultan on the sixth…the curse will disappear right before Kisshu becomes Sultan. _

I bit my lip. If Kisshu would kill the Sultan, then the curse would disappear. If the curse disappeared, he wouldn't love me anymore. If he didn't love me anymore, he would come back to just a normal, plain girl living in his house. He would take the heartbreak head-on right after he just conquered the government. Now _that _was the ultimate disappointment after such a huge victory.

Kisshu and I arrived at his house within ten or fifteen minutes. He ushered me in the house and kissed my hand, saying, "Goodnight, Ichigo." A wave of heat swept across my face as I nodded.

"Goodnight, Kisshu." He smiled and walked down a hall to the left. I continued on my way, trying to find my way back to my room.

_Let's see, _I thought. _I'm pretty sure it's on the second story, so I need to find the staircase._

"Ichigo!" I was interrupted with a call of my name. I turned around to see Lettuce coming towards me, an envelope in her hand and a smile on her face. "It's so good to see you, Ichigo!"

"It's good to see you, too!" I smiled and hugged Lettuce before asking. "Do you need me for anything?"

Lettuce's face fell and she looked embarrassed as she murmured, "Uh, well, I kind of got an invitation for a date just now…" I gasped and clapped my hands.

"That's great! Who's it from?" Lettuce looked even more flushed as she crinkled the envelope between her fingers.

"Um…it's from Pai…" I gasped and smiled broadly, cheering inside my head. Finally! They were getting together! Lettuce continued in a more panicked tone. "The only problem is that the date is at midnight, which is in, like, an hour or two, and I don't have anything nice to wear. Do you think that maybe…um…you could…?"

"Lend you a dress?" I offered, still smiling. Lettuce nodded shyly. "I'd love to, Lettuce! That's what friends are for!" Lettuce smiled, her eyes lighting up.

"Thank you so much, Ichigo!"

"Don't mention it! I just have to find my room again…"

"Oh!" Lettuce said, perking her head up. "I know where it is. Follow me." Lettuce quickly led me up to my room, taking me past some halls I knew and some I didn't. I almost thought we were lost until she showed me my familiar door.

"Thanks!" I chirped. I held the door open for Lettuce and closed it behind us.

"Now," I said, walking over to my closet door. Swinging it open dramatically, I declared, "Your perfect dress is in here somewhere, I know it!"

Truth be told, I was no fashion expert. I had been outside enough, though, that I knew what was the current style. I wasn't about to go pick out the blue-and-yellow spotted dress crammed in the back of the closet. I told Lettuce to wait outside the closet while I pulled out some dresses I thought would look good. Then I stepped back out.

"Let's see…" I murmured. I held up a black dress with short, ruffled sleeves.

"I-I don't know…" Lettuce said cautiously, fingering the dress. "It's kind of short."

"You're right." I nodded and hung the dress on the windowsill while I pulled out another one from the bundle slung over my arm.

This one was light pink with white accents. It almost looked white in bright light. It looked pretty, like it might fit her, but I turned it slightly and the light caught something to my attention.

The dress glittered.

"No," I said, putting it back, "You don't want a glittery dress, do you?" Lettuce shook her head and giggled.

"No way. That would be weird." I smiled in agreement, hung the dress on the windowsill, and pulled out a third dress. I almost took that one back immediately when I saw how large it was. I suppose I wasn't paying to the size when I yanked it off the rack. In addition to that, it was light green and would look weird with her hair.

"Too big," I said, shaking my head. Lettuce nodded and observed as I hung the third dress on the windowsill.

"Are you sure we'll be able to find the right dress?" Lettuce asked anxiously.

"I'm positive," I said confidently, giving her a reassuring smile. "You've got a nice shape, so I think at least one of these dresses will be good enough for you." Lettuce giggled.

"Thank you, Ichigo."

"Here," I said, handing Lettuce a white dress, "Try this one on. It looks like it might work."

"Okay."

Lettuce took the dress from me and went into the closet, closing the door behind her and clicking it shut.

This whole Lettuce-pampering treatment was a good stress-reliever for me. It made me temporarily forget about all of the anxieties that I could've been worrying about. I relaxed a bit, heaving a deep sigh.

It took a little while until Lettuce stepped out of the closet, wearing the dress. My face lit up and I clapped.

"That looks great on you! How does it feel?" The dress she wore was snow-white in color. It was a full-length dress with long bell sleeves. It had a scooping neckline, reaching from the tip of one shoulder to the other. Simple, but the dress was built so that it brought more attention to Lettuce than the dress she was wearing.

"I like it!" Lettuce said cheerfully. "It's really silky and cozy."

"So do you think that's the one?" I asked.

"Yup!" Lettuce smiled, folding her hands in front of her.

"Would you like me to do your hair and makeup?" I offered. Lettuce's face grew into one of surprise.

"You would do that? Really?"

"Of course!" I laughed. You don't have to be so modest! I'd love to!"

"That would be wonderful!" Lettuce said, clapping her hands together. "But I don't feel very comfortable with makeup. It always smears, so…"

"Oh, no problem." I waved it off. "Your face is beautiful the way it is. Go ahead and take a seat at my vanity." Lettuce did so, making sure to smooth out the dress on her lap so not to wrinkle it. I walked behind her and eyed her reflection in the mirror.

"Hm…" I mused, raising an eyebrow. Suddenly, it came to me. "Oh! I've got the perfect hairstyle for you!" Lettuce kept her bright face, relaxing her shoulders.

"Would you mind if I undid your braids?" I asked.

"Of course," Lettuce replied. "You can cut my hair if you need to. It's quite long…"

"No, it's alright," I insisted. "All I need is your hair down." As I undid her hair, I found it to be long and fine. She had a full head of hair, but it was as fine as candy floss, which explained why she could fit it into two long, narrow braids. Her beautiful, sea-green reminded me of the oasis waters I had seen in paintings.

"You have nice hair," I complimented.

"Thank you," Lettuce said.

"By the way," I questioned, "where did you find the letter?"

"Well, I didn't exactly find it," Lettuce started, fidgeting with her fingers. "Pai gave it to me in person." I gasped-- partly in amazement and partly to emphasize my enthusiasm.

"Really? Wow, that's so cool! He's no coward!" I gushed. I picked up an elastic band and tied off a small braid I made.

"Well, that's probably why he's a high commander of the military," Retasu mused, smiling slightly. She looked into the mirror and observed my work.

"Wow, you're doing a great job," she complimented. "You should do this professionally!" I saw an image of me as a wrinkled old lady with too much face powder on doing some whiney kid's hair. That scared me out of the idea.

"N-no, I don't think so," I laughed. "It's just kind of a natural thing since I usually style my own hair. I just have a little bit of practice. I don't think it would be a wise career choice." Lettuce nodded knowingly.

"I see."

We let the subject drop, sitting in silence while I continued on with my styling. Lettuce's hair was coming together nicely.

"Ichigo?" Lettuce spoke up. "What was going on before? Kisshu looked really angry when he ordered a small portion of the army out." I rolled my eyes. It was to be expected from Kisshu.

"Well there was a bit of a miscommunication, and Kisshu thought that I was being held hostage or something. Anyway, he went after me and caused a ruckus with the Thief's Alliance, then made friends with them and asked them to join the army." Lettuce blinked in confusion.

"That doesn't make a lot of sense."

"It's more detailed than that, but that's basically how it happened." I explained sheepishly. "There was a misunderstanding and Kisshu overreacted…a lot." Lettuce giggled.

"That's just like him." Lettuce's face grew cold, though, and she cast her eyes to the dresser. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be gossiping."

"No, no!" I insisted to the overly-polite girl. "You don't have to apologize! I know exactly what you mean! He's a total idiot sometimes, and needs to learn to think things through!"

"Well that doesn't change his charming nature, though," Retasu added, smiling. Her face fell into a calm one as she murmured, "He's a perfect match for you, Ichigo…" A tingle ran down my spine and I almost dropped my comb.

"Ah, well--uh, I don't know about _that_…" Lettuce gasped and bowed her head.

"I'm very sorry! I didn't mean to say such atrocious things again!"

"Lettuce, calm down!" I laughed. "You're messing up your hair!"

"S--"

"Don't say sorry either." We both giggled as I made repairs to one of her braids.

"There!" I said in satisfaction, stepping back from my work. "All done!" Retasu looked in the mirror in awe. I had let her hair down her back in long, sea green waves. On the side of her head were two thin braids running from the front of her head and tying in the back, forming a sort of crown-like shape.

"This suits you well!" I exclaimed. "A crown for the princess." Delighted, Lettuce got up from her seat and gave me a huge hug.

"Thank you so much for this, Ichigo!"

"You're welcome!" I said, pulling back from the hug and wagging a finger at Lettuce. "Now, what would be best for a date would be to get a good something to eat beforehand. It's hard to be nervous on a full stomach. Green vegetables are the best, and try to avoid meat or beans." I spoke with experience from past meetings with people. What I said was the truth.

"It looks like it's about…" I muttered, glancing towards the window, "…an hour or so until your date. Get a good and full stomach, okay?"

"Okay!" Lettuce said cheerfully. "I'm so nervous!"

"You'll be fine!" I assured her, opening the door for her. "I wish you the best of luck!"

Lettuce walked out the door, calling behind her, "Thank you very much!"

I closed the door. Heaving a huge sigh, I slid down the door slowly.

_Oh, what I would give to see this, _I thought. _A date scheduled by a couple that had been too shy to talk to each other for two whole years._

Questions began to spill into my head. I wondered if I overdressed Lettuce. I wondered if Pai was going to show. I wondered if something would go wrong. I wondered why Pai asked her out tonight of all nights.

_I can't resist, _I thought devilishly, a smirk crawling up my face._ I've got to see this. _

_---_


	15. A Passion Revealed

(A.N./

**Rizu:** Alrighty, I'm back! Here's the next chapter for you peeps. Sorry that it's a bit shorter than usual. I'm kind of in a hurry right now because I have stuff to do today, so Narrator is going to be ignored.

**Narrator:** But--

**Rizu:** No time for buts!)  
---

_"Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within."  
-James Baldwin_

_---_

I was bored. I waited and waited and waited for an hour to pass, but the minutes seemed to creep by so slowly. Every once in a while I would peer out the window to look at the moon, but it always seemed to be in the same place as where it was last. I figured to myself that an hour would be up about around the time that the moon hit the tip of a building to my left. I was used to telling time by the sky, so I knew that my calculations were most likely correct. But it seemed to go so slowly that I wanted to believe that my time-telling skills were wrong.

Eventually, I decided to dress in my cloak and boots to save time dressing later and to keep me occupied. After I was done, I went back to looking out the window.

"Almost…" I muttered to myself. The moon was barely an inch away from the building…

"Ah, good enough!" I groaned. I got up from leaning on the windowsill and opened the door to my room. Looking both ways first, I crept out cautiously and began to snoop down the halls.

The trap door entrance to the roof had to be accessed by a staircase. I had seen a staircase on my way to my room, and I assumed that that was the one. As I approached the place, I grew more and more cautious about my stealth. I tip-toed my way there, staying as quiet as possible. I got nearer, and I saw that it was the correct staircase. The trap door was open. I could see up it that Pai was standing a good distance from the entrance. I could still make out that he was wearing fancy attire, though.

_Good_, I thought, _I didn't overdress Lettuce._

Pai looked rather stunning himself, all prim and business-looking. He also looked anxious, pursing his lips and smoothing his shirt frequently. I took care to step around to the back of the staircase, hiding in the wide space under the stairs. Once settled, I couldn't help but take another look at Pai. By the time I tried, though, he was farther back from the staircase, most likely looking over the edge of the roof. I scowled and was about to duck back under the stairs when I heard light, brisk footsteps from behind me. I was positive it was Retasu coming.I gasped and ducked back under the stairs, praying that I wasn't seen. The footsteps grew quieter, but quicker. They kept coming in my direction. I bit my lip.

_Please, please, don't let me be seen, _I prayed. My prayer was answered in a strange sort of way when Kisshu's head popped under the staircase.

"What are you--"

"Shhh!" I shushed, clamping a hand over his mouth. I removed my hand and took hold of his shirt instead, yanking him down into the hiding spot with me.

"Spying, are we?" Kisshu whispered with a smug smile, raising his eyebrows.

"How did you know?" I hissed.

"I guessed," Kisshu whispered back, shrugging casually. He jabbed a finger upwards to the staircase. "So who's up there?"

"Pai." I whispered. "He invited Lettuce on a date. I dressed her up and got her ready, so I wanted to see how it went."

Kisshu looked delighted. "What? He actually made a move? Amazing! I've gotta stick around for this!" I scowled at Kisshu's increasing volume.

"Shh!" I hissed, putting a finger to my lips. "They can't know we're here." Kisshu nodded, smirking.

"Right." He put an arm around me and hugged me closer. "Meanwhile, we can get cozy ourselves." My face grew hot and my eyes narrowed. Stupid nice-smelling rich guy.

"Kisshu, this isn't snuggle time," I muttered, shoving him off.

"Aww," Kisshu whined. "But--"

"Shh!" I shushed, putting a finger to his lips and peering over his shoulder, "She's coming!"

Lettuce was coming down the hall slowly. She fingered the satin of her dress, her head lowered. She looked like a big ball of nerves. I frowned, mentally cheering, _You can do it, Lettuce!_

Meanwhile, Kisshu had taken my finger off of his mouth and was stroking my hand, feeling along my fingers gently. While I ignored him and watched Lettuce ascend the stairs, I could feel his fingers wrapping around finger after finger, stroking it, pulling it, massaging it. As Lettuce stepped off of the last step and onto the roof, I felt Kisshu lift my hand up to his face and kiss it. That was when I turned around, frowning, and snatched back my hand.

"Kisshu, focus!" I hissed. "They're talking now!"

"Alright. I'm focusing, Sweetheart," Kisshu moaned. He stood up with me as we craned our ears to listen.

"You look stunning," was the first thing we heard. Pai's voice.

"Yes!" I cheered to myself.

"Hush, Kitten," Kisshu shushed, tickling under my chin. I shrugged his hand off with a grunt and listened.

"Thank you," Lettuce said politely. Her strong voice surprised me. She seemed ready for this.

"Lettuce, if you wouldn't mind, I am going to go straight to the point. Please listen carefully." Kisshu and I were both craning our heads to listen as he continued. "I have something to tell you that I should have a long time ago. With this upcoming battle, I grow more and more anxious by the day. Sadly, there is a chance I might not return."

Kisshu rolled his eyes and scoffed. I elbowed him roughly in the side.

"Even though Kisshu is a good enough leader, I doubt his abilities sometimes since his plans tend to go awry." Kisshu growled low in his throat and narrowed his eyes. I elbowed him again.

Pai paused to take a deep breath. "Lettuce…I love you. You've always been so kind to me, even when I was nothing but cold and heartless to you. You always make me happy when I'm sad. I offer my most sincere thanks for your cheerful support over the years. I apologize sincerely for my cruel attitude." The air around them went quiet.

Under the stairs, Kisshu and I were having the quietest party we could. I was bouncing up and down on my heels and Kisshu was grinning like an idiot. Kisshu put an arm around me and rubbed his hand up and down my arm excitedly. I was too overjoyed to care.

"Pai," Retasu began, her voice strong-sounding for her usual self, "I am very grateful for your affection, but I honestly don't deserve you."

"No, Lettuce," Pai insisted, "you are a wonderful girl, and I possibly couldn't match your compassion." The strong Lettuce seemed to drop like a rock as she stumbled over words.

"I…I…but…" She stopped. Silence.

Then I heard the sweet sound of a kiss being broken. I cheered with a hissing, _"Yes!"_

"You had better get some sleep," came Pai's voice.

"O-okay," Retasu whimpered back. She came down the stairs first. She turned around at the bottom and called up the stairs, "Goodnight, Pai."

"Goodnight, Lettuce," Pai replied. He must've bowed or blew a kiss or something because Lettuce looked flustered and as red as a tomato as she scurried down the hall.

I let out a breath of relief.

"That went great," I whispered, sinking back down to a tired sitting position.

"No kidding," Kisshu whispered back. He sat down next to me and shifted my body so that my head fell on his shoulder. I scowled and pushed him off.

"What is with you tonight?" I hissed.

"Sorry," Kisshu apologized, pouting and hanging his head.

Pai began to descend the stairs. He didn't step slowly or quietly, though. He clamored down the stairs in angry footsteps. I almost fainted when he ducked his head around the side of the stairs, looking Kisshu and I in the eyes with the most furious expression I had ever seen. His eyes looked from Kisshu, to me, and back to Kisshu. He kept his eyes locked on Kisshu, he being the most likely ringleader.

"What. Are. You. DOING?" he growled, his hate-filled eyes fixed on Kisshu. I shrunk back in fear, clutching the sleeve of Kisshu's shirt. His eyes were filled with the fire of an eternal rage, looking to burn their victims. When I took one look at Kisshu's expression, which was one that looked like a scared puppy with its tail between its legs, I understood. This was my fault. I had dragged him into this. I would be the one to take the blame.

Pulling in front of Kisshu, I daringly locked eyes with Pai and declared, "It's my fault! I just dragged Kisshu into it! It was my idea in the first place!" Pai looked taken aback for a second, like he hadn't expected me to do much other than cower. I felt good for standing up to the beast. What made me feel even better was Kisshu's "scared puppy" expression. Deep down, I hoped he was impressed at my sudden adrenaline rush.

"Ichigo, I forbid you to attend the raid tomorrow. You are hereby grounded to your room for the rest of tonight and all of tomorrow."

"Wait!" Kisshu yelled, pushing back on Pai's shoulder roughly with one of his hands. "You can't give orders around here! You're not superior to me!"

"I am!" Pai roared back. "I am still your guardian, and, therefore, I can make these decisions."

"But you're not _Ichigo's _guardian!" Kisshu argued in my place. "She doesn't have to take orders from you!"

"Well since she doesn't seem to have a guardian, and since she seems to be serving like _your _property, I have authority over her." Kisshu scowled, his grip tightening on Pai's shoulder.

"Hold on," I said, stepping between the boys. "I'm okay with it. I can stay behind. No big deal. I can take the punishment."

"But Ichigo--"

"Kisshu, you heard her. She is going to take the punishment. Now would you please escort her back to her room?"

"Yes, _sir_," Kisshu spat. He grasped my hand tightly in his and helped me up. Nodding to Pai, Kisshu whirled around and strutted off down the hall towards my room. I trailed behind him, still holding his hand.

Talk about having a temper tantrum.

When we arrived at the door to my room, Kisshu sighed heartily and released my hand.

"Why'd you do it?" he asked tiredly.

"Do…what?" I asked. Inside, I knew what he was talking about. I just didn't want to admit it.

"Take the blame. You should've let it pass to me."

"No," I insisted, "you need to have full privileges tomorrow for the invasion. I can afford to be locked up in my room all day, but you…" I groaned and hung my head, shaking it back and forth sadly. "I guess this means that I'm definitely not going to this invasion, too…"

"Yeah," Kisshu confirmed. "But you weren't going anyway, right?"

"I don't know," I moaned. "Maybe getting to talk to Masaya before he died was the best option." Kisshu laughed humorlessly.

"I wasn't going to kill him, Kitten," he said. "Maybe just, you know…kick him out of the country. Banish him forever."

"Oh…" I said sadly, folding my hands and lowering my head. With a glance upward, I could clearly see the pity and remorse in Kisshu's eyes. His look clearly read, "Why the hell did I just say that? I went and made her depressed."

"It's okay," I reassured him. "I'll be fine. Promise."

Masaya would be gone forever, carrying that heartbreak I left him with that one sour night. I would never be able to live that down, knowing he was out there somewhere, wandering in the desert winds...

Kisshu gave me a weak smile. He bent down and softly kissed my cheek.

"Goodnight, Sunshine," he murmured.

"Goodnight," I whispered hoarsely. Kisshu turned and started to walk away. To my own surprise, I let a small, gasping sob escape my lips. My throat felt tight and in a knot. My eyes felt moist and were filling by the second. Kisshu whirled around to face me and immediately bent down to my level, wiping away a falling tear with his thumb.

"Oh God, Ichigo, don't cry," he moaned. "You're making me feel like crap."

"I-I'm not t-try-ying to," I sobbed, soaking up the tears with my wrists. "I don't-t even…even know w-why I'm c-crying." Kisshu stood straight and hugged me close to him, rocking me back and forth in his arms.

"Shh…" he whispered into my hair. "I'll come back tomorrow and I'll be the new Sultan. In the morning, the day after next, when you come out of your room, we can throw a party and invite everyone in the palace…okay? How does that sound?" I continued to sob.

_No, Kisshu, _I thought miserably, _Don't even try. You'll come home to a horrible heartbreak. Just let the pathetic little girl go. _

"No, Kisshu, it's okay," I choked. "I'm…fine. I'll be okay. I just need to calm down, that's…that's all." Kisshu sighed.

"Are you sure?"

"Just let me go, Kisshu." Kisshu obeyed, releasing me from his embrace. I stood limply and slumped against the wall, still rubbing my eyes.

"G'night," I muttered.

"Sweet dreams," Kisshu replied. He kissed me on the forehead and went on his way down the hall. I groaned and opened my door, stumbling inside and collapsing on my bed.

Then, I screamed.

I took up my pillow and yelled into it, as loud as I could.

"_WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO FRUSTRATING?" _I shrieked into the fluffy, white surface.

There wasn't a choice now. I had to stay behind. I considered sneaking out the window, but there was no way I could slip into the army undiscovered. They would pick a girl out from the men like a duck from out of the geese.

Groaning miserably, I let out a grunt and let my head fall into my pillow with a "fumph".

"I hate my life…"  
---


	16. A Chance Returns

(A.N./

**Rizu:** Chapter 16 is here! Did you know that I actually had to combine two chapters to make a chapter long enough? Chapter 14 is the culprit. According to my draft, this should be chapter 17, but chapter 14 made it all screwy by making me combine two into one.

**Narrator:** Dude, it's past midnight and you're still awake typing.

**Rizu:** Must. Finish. Before. Boarding. School.

**Narrator:**With the day of the invasion close at hand, Ichigo may find an opportunity to settle things with Masaya. Meanwhile, she wonders what will become of her after all is said and done. Find out in _The Last Left Standing_!  
---

Who can give law to lovers? Love is a greater law to itself.

-_Boethius (Anicius Manlius Severinus)_

_---_

When I woke up the next morning, it was still dark. The room was pitch-black. I guessed that the time was into the wee hours of the morning. My wet pillow bitterly reminded me of the perils of the night. I groaned and hugged my pillow close. I wanted to sleep. Sleep through my capture in my room.

That was when I heard what woke me up. It sounded like a loud "THUMP" out my window. Curiously, I got up and walked to the window. Peering down, I spied Kisshu on the ground below, massaging his back. Next to him was a chunky-looking leather sack.

"K-Kisshu?" I gasped, bewildered. "What are you _doing_?" Kisshu looked up with a pained look on his face.

"Ichigo? Could you help me up? I'll explain when I'm up there."

"Can you climb?" I asked, my head cocked to the side.

"Ah, well, I just tried," Kisshu explained with a sheepish grin, "and I think I broke something."

I rolled my eyes. Boys are so stupid.

"Hold on a second. I'll try to find something," I offered. Heading back into my room, my eyes fell on my bed sheets. "It works in the fairytales!" I reasoned. Ripping off my double-layered bed sheets, I tied them in a giant knot at one end and tied the other end to my bedpost, reinforcing the knot with a hair band that I snatched off of my vanity.

Peering over the window once more, I saw that Kisshu was back on his feet, the sack slung over his shoulder.

"Heads up!" I called to him. I threw the bed sheets over the side of the window. Kisshu, trusting my weak climbing tool, gripped the sheets lightly and began to scale the wall. He pulled himself up by the bed sheets, but kept his feet solidly against the wall, pushing and pulling himself up.

Then he slipped. His feet feel from the wall and he was left dangling by his grip on the sheets. I let out a little shriek of surprise.

_Don't die, don't die, don't die, _I chanted in my head. I fidgeted with my fingers fretfully and held my breath.

"I'm fine," Kisshu grunted. He swung himself towards the wall-- back, towards it, and back before he had enough momentum to lift up his legs and slam his feet back against the wall. Then he climbed once more. I let out a breath of relief.

"Give me your hand," he said, extending his. I took it with both of mine and, putting all my strength into it, pulled him up and through the window. Kisshu pulled his knee up on the windowsill and let go of the bed sheets.

"Whew!" he gasped. "That was fun." I frowned.

"You almost fell!"

"Ah, but I didn't, did I?" Kisshu countered, grinning. I stepped back, arms crossed, as he pulled himself into the room, dropped the sack, and brushed himself off.

"Open it," he said, nodding to the bag. "It's a gift." I curiously walked over to the bag and pulled it open.

In it was a set of men's clothes consisting of a baggy white shirt, a brown, leather vest, white baggy pants, and, to my surprise, my missing boot. My face lit up, the joy spreading across it. It was finally back! My old boot! I dropped it and went into my closet, bringing out its match.

"You brought my boot!" I exclaimed, smiling at Kisshu. "Thank you! These boots are very special and lucky to me."

"I thought you might want it back," Kisshu said, idly itching behind his ear.

"But these men's clothes…" I murmured, staring into the bag. Then, it dawned on me. I fit the pieces of the puzzle in my head.

_Today was the invasion. _

_I can't go to the invasion. _

_Kisshu is here. _

_He has a bag of men's clothes. _

I looked back at Kisshu. "Wait…you didn't…"

"But I did!" Kisshu said, nodding. "You're going to that invasion, whether 'Pai the Almighty' says so or not." My chance was back! I would be able to speak with Masaya! I giggled in excitement and charged over to Kisshu, tackling him in a hug.

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you--"

"Calm down, Ichigo!" Kisshu laughed. "I don't even know if they'll fit you!" I backed off, nodded quickly, and grabbed the bag, dashing into the closet and slamming the door behind me.

_Chance, chance, my chance is back_, I thought cheerily to myself as I pulled my clothes off and put the new clothes on. _I'm going to the invasion!_

The clothes were too big for me, but they fit enough to stay on my body. I stepped out of the closet and looked to Kisshu for opinions. Kisshu, sitting on my mattress, tapped his chin thoughtfully and looked me up and down. I nervously awaited judgment. After a minute or so of awkward gestures to turn around and bend up or down, Kisshu came to a conclusion.

"Hm…well, your chest is pretty obviously a girl's…"

"K-Kisshu!" I shrieked, crossing my arms. "D-don't stare there!" Kisshu snickered at my antics. The pervert.

"I'm just trying to help you! Now…your hair is definitely a problem. It makes you way too feminine-looking." I sighed downheartedly. I had just begun to grow out my hair again. It was really a shame. This was all for the sake of Masaya, though. I needed to blend in.

"Do you have a knife with you?" I asked, extending my hand. Kisshu's eyes darted to the dagger sheath hanging off of his belt before he shook his head.

"I didn't mean cut your hair. Just cover it up somehow."

Kisshu paused for a moment. We both looked around the room, trying to think of a solution. It took a few moments before Kisshu sat up, saying, "I've got it! You can use my turban!" I blinked. Use his turban?

"It's too risky to try to sneak one up here," Kisshu explained, unwrapping his own from his head, "and I can just get another later. You can just wrap your hair up in this."

"W-wait! You don't have to do that!" I insisted, eyes wide. "I know the turban is supposed to be a kind of special thing and all, so I really don't want to take it from you." After I said that, I realized how stupid that actually sounded. Come to think of it…

"Come off it," Kisshu scoffed. "It's just fabric. You're beginning to sound like Lettuce."

My thoughts exactly. I stayed quiet after that.

I watched, mesmerized, as Kisshu removed the last of the turban's long cloth. I guess I never realized how long his dark green hair actually was…or how much of it he actually had. It was thick, and almost reached to his chin when down. I gingerly took the warm cloth from Kisshu's hands, the brooch that went on the front stacked on top of the pile.

As I walked into the closet once more, an idea came to me: a solution to my "obviously a girl's" chest. When I closed the door behind me, I took off the vest, shirt, and my undergarments. I then wrapped the turban's cloth tight around my chest, sealing it off with the brooch under my arm, where the cloth came to an end. After that, I put on all of my clothes again. When I stepped out, Kisshu seemed to notice the difference quickly. He sat up a little straighter and nodded.

"That's perfect. Your body shape is much more believable." I sighed in relief, choosing to ignore the fact that Kisshu seemed to notice my body shape right away.

"But," Kisshu continued, "what do we do about your hair?" My face fell again. Goodbye, hair.

"I'll cut it," I said simply. It was as easy as that. I walked to where Kisshu was sitting and bent down next to him, pulling out his dagger from its sheath. Kisshu made no move to stop me, only staring at me with a strange expression. I fisted a lock of hair, holding the dagger up to it.

"Ichigo, don't--"

Snip.

Before he could finish, I had sliced through the lock of hair, leaving it cut at a length right below my ear.

Too bad I had to cut it. I was beginning to like my hair. No matter, though. It was a sacrifice I had to make.

_My hair grows quickly anyway, _I thought to myself.

Kisshu stared, awestruck, as I continued around the side of my head, holding and snipping, holding and snipping, until I had a short, messy haircut.

"Better?" I asked, offering Kisshu's dagger back. He took it hesitantly and shook his head, lowering his eyes. I frowned. Was my physical appearance really that important to him? I felt almost insulted at this idea of a more shallow Kisshu.

"If my looks are really the only thing you care about, then why didn't you say so?" I snapped. "It's just hair!" Kisshu looked surprised as he sheathed his dagger and looked back up at me.

"Well I guess you're right about the hair, but this is really a lot of trouble to go through just to meet the Prince. Is he really that important to you?" I caught a hint of sadness across Kisshu's eyes and maybe a spark of…jealousy? Now I understood. Kisshu thought that I was still in love with Masaya.

"Well, yes, he is important," I said, itching my neck where some stray hair had fallen. "I had a bad break-up with him, and I need to apologize or it will haunt me the rest of my life; I'm sure of it."

"What's making you so upset anyway?" Kisshu asked curiously, lying down on the mattress. "I remember that one night a few nights ago where you came here sobbing about a break-up, but I never understood what went on. Care to tell me?"

I bit my lip. I couldn't tell him the truth because the story wouldn't match up without the part about the curse. I would just have to vaguely summarize.

"Well, we were on a very early date in our relationship when he confessed to loving me. I got upset over it and ran away from him, leaving him behind. It was cruel of me, and I have to go back and make it up to him."

In truth it wasn't my entire fault that I got upset, but I decided to leave that part out.

_What he doesn't know won't kill him, _I reasoned.

"I…I get it," Kisshu murmured. He half-sighed, half-groaned as he fell back onto my mattress. Spreading his arms out, he mumbled, "I'm sorry, but I can't do anything to help. The invasion is in a matter of hours. The only comfort I could possibly offer would be that we're not going to interrupt the actual ceremony." I looked up, a bit stunned.

"What?"

"I checked the time and date on the poster," Kisshu answered, craning his neck upwards to look at me from over himself. "It's a morning ceremony, but we're leaving at dawn. We'll be ahead of it by about three hours."

Thank goodness. At least we weren't invading during the ceremony itself.

_Hold on._

"Wait!" I cried. An idea had just struck me. "If we're going to be arriving three hours before the ceremony, then will Masaya be out at the bride's house? What if he gets delayed and is not there?"

The traditional wedding custom in the country, as I remembered, was that the groom would lead a procession of his closest friends and family to the bride's house. He would meet her there, then take her back with him to his house, where the ceremony would be held. The process of the broom going to the bride's house was notorious for being delayed, due to the bride not being ready or a crucial role in the wedding being late. If the delay was long enough for Masaya's wedding, then hopefully, _possibly _he could be spared from witnessing the horrors of the battle in the palace.

"It's all a matter of chance," Kisshu said, sitting up on the mattress. "For all we know, they may be having a modern European wedding where there is no procession to the home of the bride." As much as I hated to admit it, Kisshu may have very well been right. Anything could happen in the winds of chance.

"In fact…" Kisshu murmured. He glanced out my window. "In fact, we should get going now. It's starting to get a bit lighter out. I want you inside before anyone wakes up and gets suspicious."

"Right," I agreed. I nodded determinedly and headed straight towards the window. Without the slightest bit of thought, I hurtled myself out it, earning a panicked yell out of Kisshu. A sense of pride washed over me, both when Kisshu called out for me and when I landed smartly on my feet. The soles of my feet felt sore from the hard land, but I ignored them and pretended like it was a perfect landing anyway.

Looking up towards the window where Kisshu was, I smiled up at him with a prideful, smug smile. Kisshu returned an almost identical look and pulled a foot over the window like he was about to jump as well. My face fell. The idiot. Just because I jumped doesn't mean he had to too!

"Don't--!" I cried before he had himself out the window. He fell…fell…fell… It seemed like he was moving in slow motion as my eyes practically shot out of my head.

Yet, when time caught up, Kisshuhad landed in a squatting position on the ground, his hands on the ground in front of him for support. He was unresponsive for a moment before standing up and grinning at me smugly. His arms outstretched grandly, he sang, "Ta-da!"

Did you ever notice that boys do really stupid things for the girls they like? Did you know that they do it to impress them? Did you ever notice that the girl usually doesn't pay attention to what these boys are doing until it's too late? If you answered yes to all of these questions, you probably know what I felt like when I saw the smug look on Kisshu's face like he _hadn't _just put his life on the stake and leaped out a window after me.

"Idiot!" I yelled, stomping over to him. Angered and upset, I gave him a hard slap across the face. "What was that? Were you even _thinking_? You could've been killed!" Kisshu, looking surprised and amused, massaged the side of his face.

He answered calmly and pleasantly. "Actually, I _was _thinking. I was thinking, 'She can do it. So can I.'"

"Well you're wrong!" I spat back. "You scared the living hell out of me! Don't ever do that again!"

"Honey, you sound like my mom," Kisshu remarked idly, smirking and taking my hand. "I'm not dead, okay? Come on, let's go inside." I rolled my eyes and allowed myself to be pulled along into the house.

"You're lucky I'm letting this one slide, you moron," I grumbled.

"Who brought you men's clothes?" Kisshu asked.

"You."

"And who's lending you his turban?"

"You."

"And who's risking his reputation to make sure you talk to your ex-boyfriend?"

"…you," I groaned. "Alright, we're even." Kisshu smirked and kissed the top of my head.

"Thanks, Kitten."

I bit my lip. It a matter of hours. Hours. Hours before my life would turn right-side up again, leaving me to clean up the mess.

The stars above, twinkling with light, began to fade one by one. As I was ushered inside the house again, I caught a whiff of the distinguishable morning smell. The clean, pure smell of freshness and purity, unique to a new day. A day that very well could be tarnished with the blood of the royal family.  
---

_If there is a god out there, please, hear my prayer. Let me wake to see tomorrow. Let me wake up in a bed tomorrow. I would dread to wake up on the dirt of a distant rooftop once more. I am spoiled with the luxuries of a comfortable lifestyle. I beg you to grant me them once more. But, above all, please save my lovers and I from the grief of a heartbreak…or the eternal silence of death. Please, I beg you…I beg you…_

_---_


	17. An Invasion Commences

(A.N./

**Rizu**: I'd like everyone to know that I'll be on vacation for the next week. I'll still be able to read and review stuff, reply to reviews, etc. But I can't write more until I get back. So don't expect a new chapter until at least next weekend. We're getting close to the end of this story!

**Narrator**: Ichigo's newfound oppertunity is her one way in to Masaya. He isn't the only thing on her mind. She begins to wonder about what will become of her after the curse is lifted. With the hour of truth fast approaching, how will the story unfold? Read to find out!

**Rizu**: You're getting better at summaries. Good job. -throws Narrator a cookie-)

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_War is a series of catastrophes that results in a victory._

_-Georges Clemenceau_  
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Sixth row from the front.

One from the left.

Two from the right.

It was my place in line as we marched in a massive procession through the city streets. We were all on foot except for the first two lines, which were the high officials. These were mounted on horses, some white, some brown, some black, some speckled. Being in the third row back from the horses, I had a good view of where we were and where we were going. I felt sorry for the dozens of lines behind us, who were left to parade behind us. These soldiers were herded and supervised by several other officials mounted on horses. The marching soldiers around me all marched like they meant business, but the procession reminded me of herding cattle.

Moo.

In the front line, sitting proudly in grand-looking satin clothes, was Kisshu, who looked like the world was bowing at his very feet, the way he kept a wide smile when he rode. And he hadn't even shed blood yet. Speaking of shedding blood, I had heard rumors among the soldiers about minimum bloodshed being required. The main focus of the battle, it seemed, was to bring down the government positions. I had heard that the rest of the soldiers were to be recycled and trained as more able ones, in order to build up Kisshu's militia. A reasonable idea. At least I wouldn't be mentally disturbed for the next few days. Blood had never been a weakness, and I could stay relatively calm in a state of medical emergency, but I wasn't prepared for people's severed limbs all over the place and faces gouged out, if you know what I mean. Hearing that soldiers would be recycled gave me a little more peace of mind.

Besides that, I began to wonder as I marched how in the world I would _find _Masaya in the first place. If I was to confront him and talk to him, then I would need to find him first. There would be swarms of people inside the palace, so how would I find him? I prayed for my luck to be with me. Hopefully someone would know where he was. Actually, I would be happy if he didn't _die_. I couldn't turn a blind eye to the high chances that a soldier would spy him and strike him down on the spot. He was, of course, an important government position, and would pose a threat to Kisshu's taking over.

If and when I did find Masaya, what would I say? "I'm sorry…?" No, that wouldn't cut it. I would have to say something more. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk. Forgive me?" No, more than that. "I'm really, really sorry! Will you ever forgive me ever? I'll kill myself if you don't forgive me!" No, too over-the-top…

As I marched along the streets, people were looking out their windows in amazement and astonishment. Some were wives of military husbands. I could tell when they were because they waved to us as we passed, like they knew exactly what was happening and wanted to wish us good luck. I couldn't help but smile at this. This was the country's pride. Having the very people fight against the government. We are the people. We choose who is to rule us. We don't like our government. It's coming down.

Feeling comforted, I marched proudly forward, a spring in my step.

_Let Fate lead the way, _I thought optimistically. _Just let things happen naturally. _

My inner sarcasm immediately shot back with a reply of, _"Right. Let things happen naturally. You're the one trying to blend in with this army to help your ex-crush."_

Sighing again, I tried to smother my sarcasm with more optimistic thoughts. I imagined the person in front of me, a short, pudgy man, as being a fuzzy sheep. Then I imagined the person next to him as resembling a camel with his long, wiry neck and crooked back. And the guy next to the camel? Definitely a chicken with that nervous, jittery face he had. I snickered to myself. It was an amusing way to pass the time.

After about five more minutes of animal-spotting, we began to approach the palace. You would be able to tell we were getting close not only by the scenery ahead, but the mood of the soldiers. They all seemed to straighten up and stop talking amongst each other. They faced forward strictly and looked anxious, almost every one of them. I didn't feel the least bit out of place as far as nerves go. The sword on my back began to feel a whole lot heavier…

Suddenly, we stopped.

"Halt!" called Pai, turning around and parking his horse. The first and second rows fell into one organized line not 100 yards away from the castle gates. Still mounted, the row of officers faced the ranks of soldiers, their eyes scanning the crowd. Kisshu was right in the middle, his purple robes standing out from the other ones. They really made a bid deal about their figurehead. His eyes were flickering fast between the first few rows. I knew subconsciously that he was looking for me in the crowd. I must've been his stress-reliever or something. His eyes found mine finally, and I saw a little glint in his eye. I smiled encouragingly and, as discreetly as possible, signaled for good luck. He smiled back and raised a hand.

"Silence," he commanded loudly, projecting his voice over the crowd. A hush immediately fell over the crowd. Kisshu, having his quiet, spoke.

"Gathered here today are hundreds, thousands of brave soldiers that are fighting for one common purpose. Some of you old members, some old friends, all of us here on common grounds. But, enough of the fancy stuff-- we're all here to beat the living heck out of the Sultan, right?"

I rolled my eyes. The crowd around me replied with a cheering, "Here, here!" and laughs of agreement. They seemed to be enjoying the speech.

"Right!" Kisshu continued with a grin. "Now, when we get in there and beat the pulp out of those idiots, I'll have to say that the soldiers are soon to be our allies! Of course, they're going to need some serious training, but I'd like to use them in the future. For that purpose, I'd appreciate it if you only gave them a fair warning and rough them up a bit, huh?"

The crowd replied with an excited cheer, followed by more whooping and hollering. I have to admit, Kisshu really knew how to get a crowd going. Especially a nervous male one. His relaxed, joking pep talk seemed to be taking effect.

"Are you READY?" Kisshu yelled over the crowd. A loud "YEAH!" resounded from all sides.

"I SAID, ARE YOU READY?" Kisshu screamed once more, cupping his hands around his mouth to project his voice. This time, the response was almost deafening. It resembled a thunderstorm because of the immense noise.

"YEAAAH!" replied the crowd. I was among them, pumping my fist in the air and screaming with them. It's not like anyone would notice my feminine voice in the extreme noise anyway.

"ALRIGHT, BOYS, MOVE IN!" Kisshu yelled, circling his arm towards the palace. The first row of horses, including Kisshu, Pai, and Taruto, galloped towards the palace. The people on foot came rushing after them. I struggled to run with the crowd. It felt like I was drowning in people because we were such a fast-moving, tight clump. I did manage to keep up, though. Soon we were at the palace gates. I gasped when I saw what kind of stunt Kisshu tried to pull next. He charged his horse straight towards the gates and then pulled sharply on the reigns, rearing it and bringing its hooves straight into the gates. The gates broke open with a crash and stood ajar, allowing the soldiers to pour into the palace like what must've looked like slow liquid pouring into a saucer. Our numbers overwhelmed the courtyard before the reinforcements came.

There were about a hundred palace guards that came out in the first wave. They underestimated us, because we quickly got rid of that batch. As I thought, some of the palace guards were slain by means of stabbing and/or beheading, but most of them were battled with before being knocked unconscious. A small portion of our soldiers were also being killed, but it was obvious who was the strongest force.

As the rest of the soldiers moved into the palace, I noticed that there were piles of what I figured to be unconscious people (none of them were bleeding) stacking up in the greenhouses. The greenhouses seemed to be made of a strong glass, so they were sturdy enough to act like cages. I assumed that this is what the soldiers had figured. They had found the convenient greenhouses and began piling bodies in there. When a guard woke up, he had no way out. Some of the soldiers sat at the doors of the greenhouses, a dozen or so to a structure. I found this extremely amusing. It was kind of like a zoo…in a strange sort of way. I only hoped that the trapped guards wouldn't find a way to shatter the glass.

We were soon into the palace by means of simply pushing open the gates, which were unlocked to let the breeze in on the warm day. The palace was bustling with people, a lot of them maids or butlers. These simple servants screamed and ran when they saw what was going on, but the soldiers around me didn't seem to care. Their only main focus was to get the guards out of the way while they searched the palace for anyone important.

I grew more and more amazed at how clean the battle was. Kisshu wasn't kidding when he said that his army was well-trained. The soldiers seemed to know their line of duty and stick to it-- despite the unprofessional pep talk from their arrogant leader. I hadn't seen as much blood as I had prepared myself for. Relieved, I heaved a sigh and began to turn my focus back to my number-one priority: Masaya.

Suddenly, from behind me, the doors to the palace were thrown open once more, and a mass of cloaked men swarmed inside the building. They resembled a dark, menacing cloud, approaching like a storm. The Thief's Alliance. The man in the front of them I recognized as their master, the one who had made the truce with Kisshu. Speaking of Kisshu, he rode his horse up to the man and bowed respectfully. I watched from the sidelines as his face formed into his signature smug grin.

"You're late."

The leader's face, still partly hooded, seemed to rise into a gentleman's smile. He replied in a prim, clear voice.

"We were informed 'early morning', so we weren't precisely sure when to arrive. However, you've stirred up such a commotion that the Queen of England could probably hear you."

"Splendid," Kisshu replied slyly. "Would you care to join us then, gentlemen?"

"We would."

"Please avoid any unnecessary fatalities," Kisshu instructed. "I'd like to use the current guard as mine once they are trained properly."

"Understood," the leader replied. He turned and motioned to his clan. They began to disperse around us like a giant flock of birds looking for prey. They certainly had the menacing look mastered among them. Their numbers seemed to be in the hundreds-- two or three hundred, maybe. A small army, but an able one. They gave off the impression that they were demons sent from Satan himself. It was a genius way to scare the palace guard out of their skin.

Mesmerized by the new arrivals, I didn't notice a palace guard creep up behind me before he muttered, "Well, well…what have we here? The runt of the litter?"

My eyes widened and my heart throbbing, I turned around to look the man in the face. He was a good foot or two taller than me, and had his sword poised for a strike. I was shocked when I realized that I didn't have time to draw my sword before he could strike me down.

Then, an opportunity came. When the guard saw my face fully, he hesitated, his face falling.

"You…you're a…a…"

…girl. Was it that easy to tell? This moron figured it out, so I became a little paranoid when he saw through my disguise so easily. But that wasn't what I needed to worry about.

Taking the hesitation as an opportunity, I gathered up my courage and raised a booted foot. In the same instant, I slammed it into his lower gut as hard as I could. The guard backed up and clutched his stomach, dropping his sword. As quickly as possible, I drew my sword and copied the move I had seen Kisshu do before. I held the sword upside-down and clubbed the guard over the head with the blunt of the handle. The guard's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell to the ground with a satisfying "thump". I certainly felt proud of myself as I nodded to his unconscious body and sheathed my sword once more.

That was when another voice spoke from behind me.

"Well handled, miss."

Miss? _Great. Another one that figured it out, _I thought sourly.

Whirling around and unsheathing my sword, I took a slash at whoever was behind me. When I turned, though, I found to be in a sword lock with Ryou Shirogane. He looked at me curiously and remarked, "You changed. What are you here for?" His last sentence was more anxious than the first. My mouth opening and closing without words, I blushed and pulled back from the lock with him.

"I have business with the Prince," I replied in a business-like manner, trying not to look surprised. I sheathed my sword. "You know where he is?"

"Actually, yes," Ryou said. "My leader, Master Akasaka, had me study quite a few maps before we came here. I believe I know where he would be. Pray that he's not dead by the time we get there. After all, you want to do the honors, right?" I scowled. Do the honors? As in, kill him?

"No. I just want to talk to him, then make sure he _doesn't _get killed." Ryou raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

"You in a relationship with him or something?" I laughed nervously.

"Hehe, uh, well…no! Well, we used to be--"

"Never mind," Ryou sighed, waving it off. "Follow me. And don't fall behind, okay?" Ryou grabbed me hand and began to lead me along in one direction. The all-too-familiar spark of electricity ran along my spine, and the flutters in my stomach were aroused.

Soon, very soon, it would all be over. It was pretty certain that the Sultan would be dead. There was no way that he could win with the pace we were going at. It was a sure-fire defeat. Yet, what if he escaped? Then I would have to wait until late afternoon tomorrow.

_Come to think of it, it would be better if I got it over with quickl_y, I mused.

I didn't know all the details of the curse. The only things I did know was that the mask would be taken off at a confession or when time was up. There was nothing in the deal that the Sultan mentioned that said what would happen if the wizard who cast the spell died. I had assumed that, naturally, the curse would die along with him. What if it didn't? What if the curse lasted until forever?

_Don't worry, don't worry, _I repeated in my head. _Quit working yourself up like that._

But I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if something weird happened, like the curse kept on and on and on until I died. Then I would have to love two men the rest of my life. Or what if the two remaining men lost their memory of me altogether? Now THAT would suck.

_Come on, pull yourself together_, I thought desperately. _You can't be a wreck of nerves when you talk to Masaya. _

If _you talk to Masaya_, came another voice in my head. _He might already be dead._

"Here we are," Ryou finally said, motioning to a door in front of him. "The door looks unscathed, so I think he's still alive." I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Ryou," I said, smiling nervously. Ryou seemed to notice my uptight attitude.

"It's going to be alright, Ichigo," he said, strong but reassuring. "I'll stand out here in case he starts attacking you or anything." I nodded, but, inside, that little voice I wanted to crush was screaming at me.

"_NO!" _the voice yelled. _"It is NOT going to be alright! You're life is going to change forever by the time the sun sets today! You're SCREWED."_

I lifted a shaking hand towards the door handle. Then I turned it with a creak and pushed it open hesitantly…

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	18. A Problem Solved and a Problem Made

(A.N./

**Rizu**: I'm glad I finally got this whole Masaya deal resolved. Ichigo's been moping about it for the past few chapters, so I'm glad to get it off my back. Also, thank you so much for all the reviews! This is the most I've gotten for this story yet.

**Narrator**: Which is weird, because I seem to remember that you were getting five or six per chapter on "Lights Out! Panic at Minto's Mansion", which wasn't all that good.

**Rizu**:...are you, like, my sub-conscience or something?

**Narrator**: Yes.

**Rizu**: ...just do your job.

**Narrator**: Things are finally coming together for Ichigo! Everything seems to be going fine until a new problem arises. What happens when a certain someone tries to take matters into his own hands? Will this risk everything Ichigo's lived up for?)  
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"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win."

_-Jonathan Kozol_

_---_

When I pushed the door open, I was relieved to see Masaya sitting at a desk on the far end of the room, his head in his hands. He looked up at me in surprise when I entered. I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't recognize me. Of all people not to…

"We need to talk," I stated bluntly. Then, his expression changed, and he narrowed his eyes, looking at me in confusion.

"Ichigo?" he asked. I nodded. Looking behind me, I made eye contact with Ryou and cocked my head to the door. He seemed to understand by his sighing, rolling his eyes, and stepping outside, pulling the door partly shut behind him. Once I was finished with him, I turned back to Masaya.

"What…how did you get in here?" he asked doubtfully. "And why are--"

"I'll explain everything in a moment," I interrupted. "But first I need to say something I came here to say."

This was it. Masaya was waiting for me to say it. I took a deep breath and began.

"I'm sorry about the other day in the courtyard. When we went on that date, you were so open with your feelings. I admire that. But yet I pushed you away and ran, abandoning you. I'm so, so sorry. It was really stupid of me, and I regret it so much. Will you forgive me?"

Masaya looked appalled as he said, "No! I mean, of course I'll forgive you, but it's not your fault! I shouldn't have scared you like that on one of our first dates! I do have a legit reason, though, so if you please…"

"Of course," I said, leaning back against the wall. "Please tell."

"Well, as you probably knew, today is my wedding to a princess from southeast Asia. She's very beautiful and all, but I don't love her. You see, when I confessed to you, it was all part of a growing desperation in me. And, when I had a sudden burst of passion while meeting you…well, I kind of let it run wild. It's my fault. I'm sorry."

I was shocked. So THAT was why he confessed so early! I was wondering why he, of all the men, confessed much more quickly than the other two. He seemed to have much more self-control than the others.

"I…I'm sorry," I murmured. "I had no idea that you were forced into the marriage." Masaya nodded sadly.

"Yes. Well, it's okay. I'll be fine. Be at peace. It's not your problem." He smiled up at me warningly.

_You know, _I thought, e_ven though Masaya as a lover isn't going to work out, having him as a best friend seems like a good second choice._

"Ah, well, Masaya?" I asked bashfully, looking down at my feet. "Do you still…like me?" Masaya laughed shortly.

"Not really." He stopped, his face growing cold. "Oh, but, if you still like me--"

"No, no!" I burst out, waving my hands in front of me in protest. "No, I think I'm over you. No offense." Masaya laughed again.

"Sorry about the trouble," Masaya said, standing up. "Now would you care to tell me how you got here?" My face fell. Why did I have to be the one to break it to him? This would be difficult.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure how to say this," I began with a nervous laugh, "but the palace is being raided by a secondhand army composed of a bunch of citizens. It's not looking good for you out there. I'd surrender if I were you." Masaya's face dropped to stone-cold.

"You're not kidding, right?" he asked meekly.

"No, I'm not," I said grimly. "Come look." He ran in front of me before I could open the door and opened it, looking outside. I noticed immediately that Ryou was missing.

Masaya and I took in the view in front of us. You could see ahead that there were a dozen or so soldiers from both sides fighting each other hand-to-hand, two or three thieves mixed up in-between. More battle noises sounded from around the palace, echoing across the walls. It created a catastrophic noise of yelling, swords clanging, and horse hooves. Masaya looked like he was going to faint.

"Oh dear…" he murmured. "I thought…I thought my people were happy…"

Just then, Ryou came tearing around the corner, panting from exhaustion. I gasped, calling, "Ryou! Ryou, what is it?"

Ryou, after catching his breath, cried, "Ichigo, I just received word that Kisshu entered the Sultan's throne room not a minute ago!"

I narrowed my eyes. I could see where this was going.

"Don't tell me he went in alone."

Ryou's face looked panicked. "Well…actually…"

"ERG!" I exploded. "Why does he always think he has to be the _HERO _around here?"

"Excuse me, but on Earth is going on?" Masaya probed, trying to wrap his mind around the change of events. I groaned. I really didn't want to explain everything to Masaya when Kisshu went and got himself into a life-and death (more likely death) situation.

_Masaya's nice and all, but Kisshu needs help. Now, _I concluded.

"Ryou, could you please watch Masaya for me?" I asked as sweetly as I could manage. "I'm going to go see if I can round up some backup for Kisshu or he's going to die." My forced, sickly-sweet voice sounded almost scary.

"Why do I have to be the babysitter?" Ryou barked after me as I took off.

"Hey, wait!" Masaya yelled.

_Sorry, no time to wait._

Luck was with me that day. After descending the stairs, I saw a small gathering of thieves in a huddle. Their leader (I remembered his name--Master Akasaka) was on the end, and I could recognize his face under his hood. I immediately ran up to him and panted out, "Could you help me, please? Kisshu-- _Sir_Kisshu just entered the throne room alone, and the idiot's gonna get himself killed if we don't help." Akasaka smiled down on me and nodded.

"Of course, miss. That _was_ a rather stupid thing for to do. Come." He nodded to the pack of a half dozen thieves behind him. They followed him in a "V" formation, kind of like how a bird leads other birds when they fly in the sky. I followed in the middle, felling awkward because I didn't give the floating appearance like the rest of them did. I was the clumsy, running one in the middle.

"By the way," called Akasaka from the front, "what is your name?"

"Ichigo!" I called back.

"Ichigo…I like it!" Akasaka said, managing to sound cheery even when he was breathing heavily. "My name is Akasaka. It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry we didn't get acquainted properly before."

"It's alright," I puffed. "It's nice to properly meet you, too!" Akasaka laughed. I decided I liked his laugh. It was warm and calming, like it could make all your troubles wash away. I suddenly felt comforted by his cheery nature.

_Everything will be alright, _I told myself._ It will be alright._

We quickly arrived at the closed doors of the throne room. I had stood there once before-- six days ago. This was where it all started. I narrowed my eyes at those evil doors. Yet, hadn't they brought me a certain amount of happiness as well? It was all temporary happiness. That happiness was about to be ripped away from me, leaving me in certain misery. At least I would have something to remember.

Two of the thieves ran up to the doors, grabbed the handles, and pulled. Yet they didn't open.

"They're locked!" one of them declared. I bit my lip. Now what?

"Stand back!" Akasaka demanded. His posse fell back into a line behind him. I did the same. Akasaka then pulled out three little brown balls the size of walnuts. On the side of each of them was a little cap. Akasaka pressed this cap deep into each of the brown spheres. Then he tossed them towards the doors. We waited for a moment, then…

**BANG! **A giant explosion went off in front of the doors. They creaked, swayed…then fell in our direction with a crash that seemed to rattle my teeth. I cracked a closed eye open and then opened them both. There was a huge cloud of dust in front of us, so I couldn't see in. I did hear something, though. The loud clashing of swords against each other. This was a good sign. If there was resistance in the room, it meant that Kisshu was still alive and fighting.

"When in doubt, blow it up," Akasaka said to me with an ironically cheerful smile. "Make haste. We need to intercept them quickly." I obeyed, falling back into the middle of the V-shaped formation.

As we came through the cloud of dust, we gradually were able to see. First, it was just two faint outlines. Then we could see them both. The Sultan with his long, grand-looking sword and Kisshu with his two pointed daggers. They seemed to be a pretty even draw, both sides being evenly fast-paced and quick witted. After a moment or two of watching, though, I saw a flaw. Kisshu was much shorter than the obscenely tall Sultan. Also, the Sultan was able to make strikes at Kisshu with more force than Kisshu was. The Sultan was, overall, stronger.

Suddenly, there was a loud clank of the swords locking. Both men looked in our direction, wondering about what happened and who was barging in. I only just realized then that I was vulnerable. I was the only one in the room that couldn't defend myself when attacked. That wasn't the only problem, though. With me there, I was a distraction to both Kisshu and the Sultan. Whether this was a good thing or not, I wasn't sure of.

Kisshu immediately saw me from behind the black cloaks of the tall men in front of me. Apparently, I was well-hidden behind the thieves. His eyes widened in a sort of scared shock, and I put a finger to my lips, signaling to keep my presence a secret. That didn't go according to plan. After I did, the Sultan must've followed Kisshu's look, because he roared, "Well, what have we here? It's my fairytale princess!"

Damn. Not good. I shrunk back farther behind one of the thieves, trying to stay out of his range. Peeking out from behind him, I saw the Sultan's sword turn into his wand. With it, he pointed it at me. I ducked behind the thieves, giving a yelp. A whoosh of a sword and a yell sounded from the Sultan's direction.

"You leave her alone!" Kisshu yelled. The Sultan appeared to be ignoring him, because, in the next second, I heard a sound like that of a wind. After that, I felt something on my throat, like someone had their hand on it. I gasped and felt at my throat, but it was like gripping at air. Looking ahead, I saw something wrapping around me that looked like a massive chain, but when I tried to pull it off, I couldn't feel it. It was like trying to grasp at smoke. The thieves around me saw my predicament, and bent down to inspect and try to get the chain off. Then, the Sultan began to pull up on his wand. I came with it. Gagging and coughing, I was pulled forward like a dog on a leash towards him. The thieves all reacted by holding tight to me, grabbing me on my waist and pulling me back, kind of like a game of tug-and-war. This only made me gag more. It felt like my head was going to be taken off. The chain held tight to me with no indication of coming off.

Meanwhile, Kisshu was still swinging at the Sultan with his swords. The Sultan was doing a pretty good job at dodging, too. Kisshu yelled, "I thought we said that this was a fight between you and me _alone_!"

"Change of plans!" the Sultan replied. Finally, he had managed to pull me close enough so he could touch me. He pulled me forward against him and held his wand horizontally across my neck. Then, his wand turned back to his sword. I gasped in fright and stood stock still.

I wasn't just afraid for me. Sure, I didn't want to die, but I was also afraid that Kisshu would do something stupid to get me out of the Sultan's grasp. I knew that he might've risked his life when it came down to it.

_Come on, Ichigo, think! _I thought desperately. _This is NOT the time to be helpless little girl!_

The Sultan spoke.

"Well it looks like I'm in control now." He turned his cold, blue eyes to Kish. "This girl," he said, pulling up on the sword a little, "she is your lover?" I gulped. Of all the questions. Where was the Sultan going with this?

Kisshu's eyes flickered from the Sultan, to me, and back to the Sultan.

"No, why would you say that?" he said confidently. For a moment, I felt insulted. But then I saw why Kisshu said that. He was trying to make it look like he didn't care. That way, I wouldn't be used as a tool against him. If the Sultan didn't know he liked me, he couldn't threaten Kisshu with me.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I went ahead and slit her throat?" the Sultan said, his words slipping off his tongue and sliding out his lips. He slid his sword along my inner neck, drawing blood. It stung like heck. I hissed between my teeth, screwing my eyes closed tightly.

_Don't scream_, I thought desperately. _You can't cry or scream. Keep your mouth shut. _I must've bled a lot, too, because Kisshu quickly screamed, "ICHIGO!"

The Sultan let out a humorless chuckle.

"That's what I thought. Listen to what I have to say, or Ichigo will die."

I scowled darkly, curling my lip.

_Dirty, rotten, stupid, awful, heartless bastard! Ergh! The NERVE! _Rage pumped through my veins. My mind raced, trying to think of what to do. How could I get myself out of this?

"Kisshu Takahiro," the Sultan started. "Inherited his father's estate at a young age. Grew up thinking the world was his. Always got what he wanted when he wanted it. Then this girl came along and captured your heart. How sweet."

Kisshu gritted his teeth in frustration. I stole a glance to his hand holding his sword. His knuckles were white from gripping the sword. His hand was vibrating. Apparently, he was as angry as I was.

"Now, let me tell you something," the Sultan continued. "Your love for this girl is altogether fake. I created it. When this little thief tried to get away with my family jewels, I caught her and, in my mercy, spared her life. Instead, I gave her a curse. Her, and three random men of her marrying age, would be affected. These three men would inevitably be drawn towards her. But only for a week. After that, it would disappear naturally."

"I don't believe you!" Kisshu interrupted. "You're lying!"

"I'm not!" the Sultan exclaimed. "Just ask Ichigo here! She'll agree with me!"

That was it. I was NOT going to stand here and let the Sultan use me like that.

"Shut up!" I yelled to him. "Shut up you bastard!" I tried to wiggle out of his grip, but he brought his sword harder against my throat. I chocked and coughed, groaning in between. That seemed to make Kisshu snap.

"STOP IT!" he screamed wildly, lunging forward at the Sultan with his swords.

"What's that?" the Sultan said smugly, stepping aside and dodging Kisshu's attack, "Kill Ichigo?"

It was all falling apart. The Sultan was too fast for Kisshu's swings. With every dodge the Sultan made, he pulled me along with him. His sword scraped against my neck as he went.

"If you keep that up, she'll die!" the Sultan taunted. "Just call off your army and surrender yourselves! Then we'll call it even!" Oh no no no. That was what I was afraid of.

Then, as I looked down to the floor, I saw it. My opportunity. It was right in front of me the whole time. I couldn't believe I didn't see it before. I braced myself and gathered up the courage.

Here goes nothing.  
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	19. An Engagement of a Sword to a Heart

I saw it when I saw my feet next to the Sultan's. I was wearing my clunky boots. He was wearing slippers with a pointed toe. It couldn't be more perfect.

_Here goes nothing! _I thought to myself. I lifted up my foot and slammed it down on the Sultan's as hard as I could, twisting it back and forth on his foot for added pain. I felt the Sultan's hesitation immediately. His grip on me loosened, and he let out a gasp of pain. In that one window of opportunity, I had to make my move. I barely thought as I struggled out of his grip, snatched his sword out of his hand, and turned around.

Drawing a deep breath, I plunged the blade into his heart. Down, down it sank. It took all my strength to pull it out with a jolt. I shut my eyes tight. The deed was done.

The Sultan let out a gurgling cough, like he was trying to breathe, but couldn't swallow his own saliva. He stumbled back…then fell to the floor with a thump.

My hand opened, and the sword fell to the floor with a clatter. It had come. I felt the feeling like I was going to vomit.

It was all over now.


	20. A Love

The choking feeling. It was back for the last time. I dropped to my knees. My hands shot up to my throat, but I quickly took them away again when my neck shot back in a stinging pain. I began to cough. _Right, _I thought. _I was cut there. _

The shocked stillness around me seemed to dissipate when I dropped to my knees. Everyone seemed to wake up. The first to action, more obviously, was Kisshu.

"Ichigo!" he yelled, rushing over. "Ichigo, are you alright?"

_Ugh, _I thought. _No, of course I'm not. You probably don't even like me anymore. _I wasn't sure if the curse was completely gone yet. In the next few seconds, my cough suddenly subsided. I swallowed hard. I didn't want to look up. I braced myself for disappointment.

"Ichigo?" I felt Kisshu's touch on my face, his cold hands fingering my skin. He gently lifted my face upward to look at him.

The moment I looked in his eyes, something clicked. A part of my heart felt light. It wasn't the heavy, smothering kind of essence that the curse had. The curse had made me feel light, but light like it had filled me with helium. When that something clicked, I felt another emotion: happiness. I felt truly happy being there with him. Then, something familiar did come. It was the butterflies. They were still in my stomach.

I understood. The curse was fake, meant to imitate the feelings of love. Yet, all this time, under that fake mask, I had grown closer and closer to Kisshu, learning more about him, learning to love him. Then, when that mask was taken off…

It was real. This was what _real_ love felt like, not some stupid curse. I was in love…for real this time.

"It's real…" I whispered in awe, looking up at Kisshu. He looked at me curiously, then smiled.

"You know, I'm taking that as good news, but I have no idea what the hell is going on," he laughed. I giggled along with him.

"Yeah, me neither." He smirked wryly and leant down to my face, drawing in for a kiss. I shut my eyes, leaned towards him, then…

A voice barked from the other side of the room, "Hey, Ichigo! Save it for later!" I gasped and looked up. Ryou was standing there, leaning against the doorframe casually. He looked at me and gave me a smile. I was happy to feel that the curse was gone from him as well. I felt nothing more for Ryou…except the greatly missed feelings of a best friend. I smiled back at him and waved.

"Ryou! You're a jerk!" I yelled at him, laughing. Ryou shrugged and walked towards us.

"That may be so, but your boyfriend there needs to go make a speech or do something to calm those crowds outside. The entire palace has been taken, and now there's a riot growing outside." Kisshu sighed and stood up. He offered me a hand, which I took quickly. I stood up and brushed myself off.

"Where's Masaya?" I asked.

"He's off doing something with his fiancée," Ryou said. "He said that she lives somewhere secretly near to the palace, and that he needed to console her or something. I already explained a lot of stuff to him when he was having a nervous breakdown…no thanks to _you_." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, deal with it," I sighed sarcastically, trying to look annoyed My eyes were laughing, though. Akasaka came up from behind me and rested a hand on my shoulder. He gave me a warm smile.

"That was very brave of you, Ichigo," Akasaka said. "Having the courage to bring justice to someone…is very hard to do. Do you feel any remorse over what you have done?"

I thought for a moment. A little seed of guiltiness rested at the bottom of my heart, telling me that I killed someone. It told me I was a murderer.

I looked up at Akasaka and nodded.

"Then be at peace," Akasaka said, laying a hand on my head. "What you did was to save many, many lives around you. You were also acting in self-defense. If you had not taken action, you and many more people would have died."

I heaved a deep sigh and smiled. The little demon of guilt was chased away. I felt it no more.

"Thank you," I said, smiling up at Akasaka. He smiled back at me.

"It's no trouble at all," he replied. "I'm only sorry that I and the rest of my brothers didn't act sooner on your behalf. We restrained from action in fear of your life. Please forgive us."

"Oh, not at all," I insisted, bowing shortly. "I understand. After all, if Kisshu over here hadn't snapped like he did, then my neck would probably be a whole lot better."

Kisshu chuckled and said, "Sorry about that. We need to get your neck cleaned up, huh? It looks like it stopped bleeding pretty fast."

"It can hold for a little bit," I said. "It doesn't really hurt much as long as I don't touch it."

"In that case," Kisshu said, taking my hand, "we'd better get out there."

"'We'?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you're coming with me to make a speech, right?" Kisshu said, beginning to lead me out the doors. Ryou followed close behind, along with the rest of the Thief's Alliance that was in the room.

"I…I guess," I said. "I don't have to say anything, right?"

"Nope. You just have to stand there and look pretty," Kisshu consoled.

Ryou came up next to us, saying, "Hey, can I talk to Ichigo in private for a moment?" Kisshu narrowed his eyes.

"Whatever you need to say to Ichigo you can say in front of me." I elbowed Kisshu.

"Kisshu, quit being such a jerk."

"Alright," Kisshu said, elbowing me back teasingly. "I'll wait." I mumbled a thanks before walking off with Ryou. We got out of earshot before Ryou began to talk.

"Hey, I'm sorry about the whole love thing the other day. I think I was feeling delirious or something. Can you forget I said that?"

"Okay," I agreed, shrugging. "No big deal."

"And we can still talk?" Ryou asked.

"Of course!" I said, smiling. "Still friends."

"Thanks," Ryou said, nodding. "That's it." I raised an eyebrow, nodded, and headed back to Kisshu. I decided that it would be best not to make a rude remark about "pull me over for that", because I didn't want to push farther into the love topic. The faster Ryou could forget, the better.

Once we were back over to Kisshu, Ryou asked, "So what exactly happened with the Sultan anyway?" I opened my mouth to say something, but Kisshu intercepted me.

"You should've seen it! So the Sultan had taken Ichigo captive and had his sword to her throat. He was threatening her and about to kill her when she got away from him, whipped around, and stabbed him with his own sword! You should've seen it! She beat him to the ground!" I sighed quietly and hung my head. It was almost like Kisshu was bragging _for _me.

"Really? Ichigo did that?" Ryou said doubtfully.

"I saw the whole thing!" Kisshu exclaimed. "Of course, I had already weakened him by sword fighting with him for a while, but, when all hope seemed lost, she delivered the final blow!"

"I stepped on his foot and then stuck him with his sword!" I corrected, groaning. "It's no big deal."

"It _is_ a big deal!" Kisshu argued. "I fought that guy for a while, and I couldn't get to him. But you just got him in one shot!"

"I was just lucky," I muttered humbly. I was playing a game with him. As long as I kept acting humble, he would keep telling me how cool I was. I was fishing for compliments, and it was fun.

"Would you guys quit being so modest?" Ryou growled through his teeth. "It's making me annoyed just _listening_ to you two!"

"Well you seem to be in a good mood today!" I remarked sarcastically.

"Don't count on it, idiot," Ryou shot back with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and hugged Kisshu's arm possessively. In turn, he pulled his arm back and wrapped it around my waist instead. He must've done something to Ryou after that, because Ryou mumbled, "Alright, I got it, pretty boy."

"We're getting close now," Kisshu said to me, ignoring Ryou. "You can stand a little behind me when I'm giving the speech. You know, as silent support and all that."

"Sure," I agreed casually. After all, it was just standing there. However, I grew more and more nervous as we approached a staircase ahead. I could hear the noises of a crowd outside. The light of day shone through the doorway above the staircase. Glancing behind me, I saw that a small group of people had followed us. Some of them were commanding officers. Two of them I recognized as Pai and Taruto. I also saw Akasaka in the group. Ryou was still keeping his pace behind us. Suddenly, I felt Kisshu's warm breath on my ear.

"Stay close," he whispered. He let go of me and began to ascend the staircase. I followed behind him obediently. I admit that I fell back a little out of humility. I wanted Kisshu to be the first one out facing the crowd.

When I reached the top, I had to lift my hand to my face to shield my eyes from the light. I quickly flattened myself against the side of the building, letting the more important people pass me and stand next to Kisshu on the balcony looking out. When my eyes adjusted to the light, I immediately felt scared in front of all of the people below us. The crowd must've been at least 1000 people, and they were all looking up at us. This didn't seem to bother Kisshu, though. Granted it didn't _SEEM _to bother him. There was no way of knowing whether or not if he was actually intimidated by the size of the crowd.

But his voice was confident when he raised his hands above his head and spoke to the crowd. "Dear people, today, your country has changed for the better. The tyrant that was once our leader…is dead. I, with a full council of rulers, will be ruling the city. There is no need to fear. We promise to dedicate ourselves to the people, and we hope that we will be able to meet your expectations!" A pause. Then, the crowd began to roar. To cheer. People clapped, cheered, and whistled in thankfulness. I was relieved. I had half-expected the reaction to be negative. But I suppose the people would be happy for a new ruler after the evils the last one did.

"I am not fully responsible for our victory," Kisshu continued. "Our own citizens-- you-- helped us achieve this great feat. Those who weren't able to train hard and volunteer were helping those who did, giving them support and keeping this operation a secret. Thank you. You made all the difference!" The crowd cheered and whistled some more. Before they quieted, Kisshu turned and looked at me, offering me his hand. I gasped, my eyes wide, and hesitantly took it. I began to panic. He said I didn't have to talk! The liar!

"Meet Miss Ichigo," Kisshu declared, presenting me before the crowd. My heart thudded and my breath sped up as he continued, "She was a tremendous help in uniting our military forces with outside sources and provided spectacular moral support for me and for everyone else she came in contact with. May she be a representation of the brave woman who are passionate for their country!" He raised my arm along with his while the crowd cheered once more. I felt like I was going to pass out.

"K-Kisshu…" I whimpered meekly.

Kisshu turned around to look behind us and muttered to Ryou, "Can I kiss her now?"

Ryou rolled his eyes, "If you must."

What made _Ryou_ the one to ask permission from?

I clammed up immediately, squeaking, "No way, Kisshu! Don't you dare!" Kisshu, ignoring my protests, swooped in and captured my lips in his, dipping me down lower as he dove farther into the kiss. My eyes were wide as the crowd below us cheered him on, whistling and whooping. Okay, _now _I felt like I was going to faint. I vowed to myself that I would give Kisshu a serious beating once we were out of the public eye. He deserved it.

For the time, though, I allowed myself to surrender to the kiss, passionately kissing him back.

The day couldn't have ended in a way better than this.

* * *

You know, maybe it isn't so bad to be in love. When you're walking on that dark road of life, it pays to have someone there next to you. Someone to help you up when you fall, someone to talk to when you're lonely, and someone to make you feel happy when you're down. Finding that special someone…actually wasn't that bad.

* * *

---

_A woman who pretends to laugh at love is like a child who sings at night when he is afraid._

_-Anonymous  
__  
---_

(A.N./ This is NOT the end of the story! There's one more chapter left, so stick around!)


	21. Once Upon a Time

(A.N./

**Rizu:** And here our story comes to a close. This is definately my favorite chapter-fic I've written. It's much more polished and descriptive than my other three.

**Narrator:** And what do I get after being your precious narrator this whole time?

**Rizu:** A pat on the head. -pats Narrator's head-

**Narrator**: Well fine then! I won't do a summary for you if you don't give me something nice!

**Rizu**: I don't need you to because this is the LAST CHAPTER! Oh, and by the way, **THANK YOU TO ALL WHO REVIEWED**! The reviews really started to take off two or three chapters ago. I'm so happy that this wasn't a total fail at publicity. [lol] More notes to come at the end of this chapter, so please read them!)  
---

_I firmly believe this to be true. Every day is a completely new and open-ended adventure._

_-Unknown_

_---_

Well, I can't say I saw it coming.

I never would've believed in a million years when I was caught stealing the Sultan's family jewels that sometime in the near future I would be working as the new Sultan's maid and serving him his morning coffee. In fact, I thought I was heading to my death about then. I was doubtful that I would live another hour. Yet here I was. On my way to Kisshu's office. With his coffee. It was actually rather humorous when you thought about it. I giggled lightly to myself. Actually, I never would've believed that I'd find love…and willingly accept it.

But, enough about me. It's been about three or four months since the invasion, and I've changed so many people's lives around me for the greater good.

Ryou and a number of the thieves from the Thief's Alliance took a job as military leaders in Kisshu's militia. Ryou seems to enjoy his job. The soldiers under him soon began to straighten up. They are known as one of the strictest units around. Ryou found that he couldn't work the bakery and the military job at the same time, though. Luckily, he found someone to replace him. His leader, Akasaka, willingly took over the bakery. He said that he'd always loved to bake, but he hadn't had much time to do so lately. Having his own bakery, apparently, was his dream. So Akasaka has been happily running the bakery ever since. Who would've guessed? Ryou seemed to have no problem giving up the bakery, since he never really enjoyed baking anyway. The fact that it was his father's didn't seem to bother him either. He seems much more happy now…if that's possible for Ryou the pessimist.

Masaya and his fiancee, Berry, were both happy to be free of their engagement. Neither of them were content with their wedding. I've become best buddies with Berry since. It turned out that Berry actually had fallen for Masaya's best man, Tasuku. They've been dating for a month or so now. Masaya decided to pursue his passion with ecology and left to study in Europe. After a tearful goodbye, he promised me to return within a year. It was kind of him to consider my feelings. I'm glad I met him. Ryou and Kisshu seemed happy to see him leave. As Kisshu had explained to me once, Masaya "gave off bad vibes". Kisshu and Masaya have gotten in their own little "frenemy" relationship (the enemy part mostly directed from Kisshu). Ryou was just overprotective of me when I was around Masaya. Kisshu was the same. Honestly, I don't think I will ever understand how the male mind works.

Pai and Lettuce officially started dating right after they were settled in the palace. They're the sweetest couple imaginable. They are currently engaged, and are due for a spring wedding. Naturally, Lettuce is worrying her head off about wedding preparations and if she's really ready to get married, etc. It's still months away, yet she's still stressed. Pai's always there to console her, though, calming her down when she needs it most…in his own Pai-like way. He's like herbal tea for her, the way he can sooth her and make her feel calm so quickly.

Speaking of herbal tea, Mint and some of her posse of maids opened up a business in the palace selling tea and other light snacks. In fact, the coffee I was carrying to Kisshu was from her shop. Mint had evidently had a mad tea obsession all along. "Plus," she told me, her nose turned up, "it's an excuse to get closer to the Prince. Don't think you've won quite yet." Despite our little disagreement, we've become sort of loose friends. I stop by there and gossip with her every once in a while about the goings on around the palace.

Pudding, by my request, was granted a room in the palace. She and her five brothers and sisters all share a giant suite on the left wing. She certainly brings energy into everyone's day. Her cheerful attitude seems be a ray of sunshine to everyone around her. Taruto developed a crush on her, too. They're inching closer and closer by the day, but the love-stricken little commander is still too stubborn to admit his feelings. I'll have to pull another Pai and Lettuce. I wonder if fake love letters will work on them…?

Kisshu, after taking the throne, has a big part in the High Council and runs it smoothly…or, so he says. I still think he's a figurehead, and he can't convince me otherwise. As long as he's happy. He even decided he likes the term "Prince" better than "Sultan". So anyone close to him, if they're not just calling him "Kisshu", it's "Prince Kisshu". He and I have grown closer together as well. He still has his childish attitude, but he's my sweetheart all the same. We've actually been keeping our relationship quiet outside the palace, partly because everyone thinks Kisshu should be married to someone important. We both know that the people would be understanding if we were to publicly announce our relationship, but we keep it secret all the same. The High Council doesn't seem too happy with Kisshu's choice of women either. He doesn't seem to care what they think. Good for him.

I reached the door to Kisshu's office, previously Masaya's office. Balancing the tray of coffee on one hand, I used the other to push open the door.

Kisshu looked up from his work momentarily as I came in. I announced, "Your coffee, Prince Ki--!" I tripped on something as I was walking, and I sent the tray flying. Kisshu stood up quickly and ran to catch it.

"I got it!" he yelled. He only ended up splashing hot coffee on himself while I fell on my face. Kisshu hissed in pain as I moaned.

"You're supposed to catch the girl, moron," I growled, sitting on my knees. Kisshu laughed and began to pull off his hot, coffee-stained shirt.

"Well you should be more careful, or you're going to kill yourself one of these days."

"Oh, so this is my fault?" I asked critically, rolling my eyes. "Right. 'I'm sorry for tripping'?"

"Apology accepted," Kisshu replied cockily. He extended a hand to help me up. "You can get off the floor now, Kitten."

For a moment, I was distracted by his bare chest. Embarrassed, I quickly took his hand. Kisshu pulled me up close to him so that there was no space between our bodies.

"What was that look?" he asked with a smirk.

"Wh-what?" I replied, looking in another direction.

"You gave me a strange look just now." Great. He caught my hesitation. What was I supposed to say? "I was noticing how you look sexy without a shirt?" Right.

"I was?" I said innocently. Kisshu's hand came out and grabbed my chin, moving my head to face him. The other hand snaked around my waist, holding me tight.

"No need to be embarrassed, Sunshine," Kisshu breathed. "I'm all yours."

There was no escaping now. I leant forward along with him, closing my eyes and kissing him softly. Instant heaven. I was on cloud nine.

Just then, I heard a scuffing of feet behind me. Following it was Ryou's voice.

"Kisshu, you've just been summoned to a meeting-- oh _god_," Ryou ended in disgust as I broke away from Kisshu. "I should probably leave now."

Kisshu pulled me closer, muttering over my head, "That would be best." I heard Ryou mutter something obscene as he exited the room, his feet fading in the distance.

Scowling, I pushed Kisshu off. "What was that for?" I demanded.

"What?" Kisshu asked casually. "It was Ryou's fault. He just can't respect people's privacy."

"Well go on and get after him!" I teased, pushing him towards the door.

"Without a shirt?" Kisshu said doubtfully.

I sighed and picked up a random shirt from a pile of clothes on the floor. Tossing it to him, I added, "Clean your room for once."

"It's not my job, _mother_," Kisshu said sarcastically.

"Well you should at least learn!" I nagged. "If we're going to ever settle down, you've got to learn some basic stuff about being a dad." Kisshu looked at me strangely.

"Settle down? Dad? Really, Kitten?" My mouth opened and closed a couple times, but no words came out. I couldn't believe I let that slip. Twice. I had been contemplating my long-term relationship with Kisshu quite often now, but I hadn't really mentioned anything to him. This was just plain embarrassing.

"Don't get me wrong," Kisshu said, looking in a mirror and smoothing his clothes. "It would be a dream to start a new life with you, but I'm not sure if I'm tame enough to do that. I still have a little bit of party left in me, you know?"

"I-I didn't mean, you know, right away, but…like…maybe…" I stuttered, trying to think of the right words. Kisshu lifted his head from looking in his mirror, made eye contact with me, and smiled.

"I know, Kitten. You're thinking about the big picture. That's fine. After all, it's not impossible, right?" He came over to me and gave me a quick kiss.

"Love you, Ichigo." He headed out the door.

"Love you too…" I called after him, slightly dazed. A full minute must've passed before I made any movement. I sighed. Sultan or not, Kisshu was still a kid inside. I liked him that way.

He was the last left standing. Not because he was the last one left to confess before the curse ended. He was the last left standing in my heart. The last of the three boys left standing in that one special place in me. And now I was starting over again with him by my side. It couldn't be more perfect.

This wasn't a "Happily Ever After". It was a "Once Upon a Time".

---  
(A.N./ Yay for happy endings! Here's a list of all the available websites that I've quote-hunted at.

Quoteland

The Quote Garden

The Quotations Page

This is the last chapter-fic I'll ever make on this site! But I'm gonna warn you: I'm not finished with fanfiction completely. I still have some one-shots and stuff that I want to release before I leave for school. As of today, July 21, I have exactly a month left before my plane ride to boarding school. That should give me plenty of time to realease a few more little things and possibly see the end of some fics I don't want to be left in suspense on. Hey, you authors! Speed up yours stories! I don't want to be left in suspense! xD

Lots of love,

-Rizu)


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